Agent B: America’s Infamous Double Agent

I just found out that Robert Hanssen, a notorious double agent, passed away on Monday.

Hanssen holds a place among the most infamous double agents in history. He worked for the FBI and secretly leaked classified information to the Soviet and Russian intelligence services from 1979 to 2001.

Shortly after joining the FBI in 1976, he began seeking ways to offer his services to the Russians. He successfully made contact in 1979 and continued until 1981. After a three-year hiatus, he resumed his activities in 1985, which persisted until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. When the dust settled in 1992, he once again resumed his covert operations until his eventual capture in 2001. Hanssen’s skill was such that even the Russians would fail to recognize him if he were to set foot on their shores.

Upon his capture, Hanssen revealed that his betrayal of his country was not driven by political or ideological motives, but rather by a simple desire for money. And he certainly obtained a substantial sum. The Soviet and Russian authorities paid him over $1.4 million in cash and diamonds.

And sang, he sang. Operating under the alias “Ramon,” he disclosed the identities of two important American spies within the KGB, the Soviet secret service. As a result, the Soviets recalled those spies to Moscow and executed them. This action sent shockwaves through the American intelligence community. In response, a search for the mole responsible for these leaks began. Can you guess who was put in charge of the investigation? That’s right, Robert Hanssen himself. In a bizarre turn of events, he was essentially assigned to uncover his own actions. As part of the charade, Hanssen and his team conducted an extensive study of all Soviets who had approached the FBI to act as moles, ultimately providing the entire study to the KGB. On two other occasions, Hanssen gave the Soviets a complete list of American double agents.

In addition, he divulged information about a tunnel the FBI had constructed beneath the decoding room at the Soviet embassy. The United States had intended to utilize this tunnel for espionage purposes, enabling them to intercept communications and monitor meetings.

“B,” the codename given to him during the molehunt, was eventually identified after the FBI paid a hefty sum of $7 million to a KGB agent in exchange for access to the Russian intelligence archive. In the end, it was a quote by General George S. Patton that Hanssen frequently used, found in his notes to the Russians, that exposed him and led to his capture. The quote held personal significance to him, and one of his colleagues was certain it originated from him.

Interestingly, Hanssen managed to evade the death penalty by cooperating with the authorities and benefiting from skilled legal representation. However, although he avoided capital punishment, the justice system ensured he would spend the rest of his life behind bars. He received 15 consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. From July 17, 2002, until his death, he lived in solitary confinement for 23 hours each day.

“I apologize for my behavior. I am shamed by it,” Hanssen told U.S. District Judge. “I have opened the door for calumny against my totally innocent wife and children. I have hurt so many deeply.”

The Department of Justice labeled Hanssen’s espionage activities as “possibly the worst intelligence disaster in U.S. history.”