Retired US officer shared classified Ukraine intel on dating site
David Slater, 64, was working as a civilian employee for the Air Force at US Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) when he is said to have conspired to transmit national defense information.
The leaks occurred from February to April 2022, during the early stages of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. USSTRATCOM is responsible for overseeing the country's nuclear command and control systems.
Slater held a top secret security clearance and worked in a classified space at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. He attended briefings that included intelligence classified up to top secret. Prosecutors said he later shared information from those briefings with a person who claimed to be a Ukrainian woman.
The two communicated using a messaging feature on an unnamed foreign dating platform. According to court filings, the woman regularly prompted Slater to reveal sensitive details and referred to him with phrases such as 'my secret informant love' and 'my secret agent.' In one message, she asked, 'Dear, what is shown on the screens in the special room??'
Prosecutors said the information he disclosed included military targets, Russian military capabilities, and US and NATO planning.
The identity of the woman has not been made public and it's unclear whether she was working for a foreign government.
US Attorney Lesley Woods said Slater 'failed in his duty' to protect classified information. FBI Special Agent Eugene Kowel said the officer 'betrayed an oath' to safeguard national intelligence.
Slater faces up to ten years in prison for the leaks, but could serve a fraction of this under a plea agreement. His sentencing is set for October 8.
The case follows a similar breach in 2023 involving Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, who admitted to posting highly classified documents on Discord, including battlefield maps and intelligence assessments about the Ukraine conflict.
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