US intelligence employee arrested for alleged double-dealing of classified info | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"The 28-year-old, who\u2019d been employed by the Defense Intelligence Agency since 2019, specialized in insider threats and had top secret security clearance, officials said.\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/dia-employee-arrested-nathan-vilas-laatsch\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"US intelligence employee arrested for alleged double-dealing of classified info\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The 28-year-old, who\u2019d been employed by the Defense Intelligence Agency since 2019, specialized in insider threats and had top secret security clearance, officials said.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/dia-employee-arrested-nathan-vilas-laatsch\/\"> <meta 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class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-mobile\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--event js-stickybar\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__details\" readability=\"4.9180327868852\">\n<div class=\"stickybar__info js-sticky-bar-content\" readability=\"32\">\n<p>Voting is open for the 2025 CyberScoop 50 awards!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <a class=\"stickybar__link button button-tertiary\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/cyberscoop50\/\">Click here!<\/a> <\/div>\n<p> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"26.968692449355\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"37.23927765237\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/dia-employee-arrested-nathan-vilas-laatsch\/\"> <span>Government<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> The 28-year-old, who\u2019d been employed by the Defense Intelligence Agency since 2019, specialized in insider threats and had top secret security clearance, officials said. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/84712\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/us-intelligence-employee-arrested-for-alleged-double-dealing-of-classified-info.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/us-intelligence-employee-arrested-for-alleged-double-dealing-of-classified-info-2.jpg 5760w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/us-intelligence-employee-arrested-for-alleged-double-dealing-of-classified-info-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, 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https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/us-intelligence-employee-arrested-for-alleged-double-dealing-of-classified-info-2.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/us-intelligence-employee-arrested-for-alleged-double-dealing-of-classified-info-2.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/us-intelligence-employee-arrested-for-alleged-double-dealing-of-classified-info-2.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> US Department of Justice building and the American flag under the sun, Washington DC, United States <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"31.083921448297\"><body readability=\"63.896315028902\"><\/p>\n<p>The FBI on Thursday <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/us-government-employee-arrested-attempting-provide-classified-information-foreign-government\">arrested a Defense Intelligence Agency employee<\/a> working in the Insider Threat Division unit with top secret security clearance for allegedly attempting to provide classified information to a foreign government, the Justice Department said.<\/p>\n<p>Nathan Vilas Laatsch, 28, of Alexandria, Va., was arrested after a monthslong investigation following a tip the FBI received in March, according to officials. Laatsch, employed by the agency since 2019, allegedly transcribed classified information to a notepad at his desk and repeated exfiltrated data from his workspace.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe conduct alleged in this case is a profound betrayal of the American people and a direct threat to our national security,\u201d Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department\u2019s National Security Division, said in a statement. \u201cWhen someone entrusted with access to classified information attempts to provide it to a foreign government, it jeopardizes our intelligence capabilities, our military advantage and the safety of our nation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Laatsch\u2019s alleged double-dealing came to light through repeated communications with an FBI agent he thought was a foreign government official. His willingness to provide classified information to a friendly foreign government stemmed from a disillusionment with the current administration\u2019s values, officials said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The FBI said it arranged a drop at a public park in northern Virginia around May 1, where surveillance observed Laatsch leave a thumb drive at the specified location. The storage device contained a message from Laatsch and multiple typed documents with secret and top secret information, according to the Justice Department. <\/p>\n<p>Laatsch allegedly indicated the initial handover, \u201ca decent sample size,\u201d was meant to demonstrate the range of the types of products he could obtain and share with his level of access.<\/p>\n<p>A week later, after Laatsch received confirmation the thumb drive was retrieved, he allegedly noted interest in gaining citizenship with the country he believed to be conspiring with in exchange for providing additional classified information. Laatsch allegedly said he was \u201cnot opposed to other compensation,\u201d but added that it wasn\u2019t a necessity.<\/p>\n<p>The FBI agent told Laatsch it was prepared to receive additional classified information a week later, and between May 15 and May 27, he allegedly \u201crepeatedly transcribed multiple pages of notes while logged into his classified workstation, folded the notes and exfiltrated the classified information in his clothing,\u201d the Justice Department said.<\/p>\n<p>Laatsch was arrested at a prearranged location in northern Virginia on Thursday after he allegedly transmitted multiple classified documents to what he presumed to be a foreign government.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"3.6275510204082\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"14\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/us-intelligence-employee-arrested-for-alleged-double-dealing-of-classified-info-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Matt Kapko\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Matt Kapko<\/h4>\n<p> Matt Kapko is a reporter at CyberScoop. His beat includes cybercrime, ransomware, software defects and vulnerability (mis)management. The lifelong Californian started his journalism career in 2001 with previous stops at Cybersecurity Dive, CIO, SDxCentral and RCR Wireless News. Matt has a degree in journalism and history from Humboldt State University. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div 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{"id":7696,"date":"2025-05-30T14:17:29","date_gmt":"2025-05-30T19:17:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=84712"},"modified":"2025-05-30T14:17:29","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T19:17:29","slug":"us-intelligence-employee-arrested-for-alleged-double-dealing-of-classified-info","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2025\/05\/30\/us-intelligence-employee-arrested-for-alleged-double-dealing-of-classified-info\/","title":{"rendered":"US intelligence employee arrested for alleged double-dealing of classified info"},"content":{"rendered":"