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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

'Shocking betrayal:' Former Green Beret charged with spying for Russia over 15 years

2020-08-23

[JustTheNews] Days after a major China espionage case, a former Army Special Forces officer was charged Friday with conspiring with Russian intelligence officials to leak U.S. military secrets over a 15-year period that began under President Bill Clinton

...former Democratic president of the U.S. Bill was the second U.S. president to be impeached, the first to deny that oral sex was sex, the first to have difficulty with the definition of the word is...
and ended under President Barack Obama
How much damage could he do in four years?... Eight, then...
Peter Rafael Dzibinski Debbins, a retired Green Beret, "allegedly conspired with agents of a Russian intelligence service" from December 1996 to January 2011, the Justice Department announced in a late Friday news release.

"During that time, Debbins periodically visited Russia and met with Russian intelligence agents," the DOJ said. Debbins reportedly received a codename from the Russian government and even "signed a statement attesting that he wanted to serve Russia," the department said.

The announcement comes just a few days after DOJ announced the arrest of former CIA officer Alexander Yuk Ching Ma in Hawaii on charges of spying for China.

"Two espionage arrests in the past week — Ma in Hawaii and now Debbins in Virginia — demonstrate that we must remain vigilant against espionage from our two most malicious adversaries — Russia and China," Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers said Friday.

"Debbins violated his oath as a U.S. Army officer, betrayed the Special Forces and endangered our country’s national security by revealing classified information to Russian intelligence officers, providing details of his unit, and identifying Special Forces team members for Russian intelligence to try to recruit as a spy," Demers continued. "Our country put its highest trust in this defendant, and he took that trust and weaponized it against the United States."

FBI Assistant Director of the Counterintelligence Division Alan Kohler, meanwhile, called Debbins's alleged crimes "a shocking betrayal by a former Army officer of his fellow soldiers and his country."

Debbins could face life in prison if convicted of conspiring to provide United States national defense information to agents of a foreign government.

Debbins was accused of providing Russian intelligence agents information that he obtained as a member of the U.S. Army, including information about his chemical and Special Forces units. In 2008, after leaving active duty service, Debbins disclosed to the Russian intelligence agents classified information about his previous activities while deployed with the Special Forces.

Debbins also provided the Russian intelligence agents with names and details about his former Special Forces team members so that Moscow could evaluate whether to approach the team members to see if they would cooperate with the Russian intelligence service.

Posted by:trailing wife

#11 In 2004 or 2005, he was busted for some kind of security violation, relieved of command and eventually kicked out but with an honorable discharge.

Rank has its privileges. If he had been enlisted, things might have turned out differently.

Posted by: Clem 2020-08-23 21:15

#10 He was promoted to Captain in 2001, same year he transferred from a Chemical WF company to Special Forces. In 2004 or 2005, he was busted for some kind of security violation, relieved of command and eventually kicked out but with an honorable discharge. In 2010, his security clearance was restored, and he was listed as in the reserves then.

Posted by: JC 2020-08-23 20:59

#9 “Debbins thought that the United States was too dominant in the world and needed to be cut down to size,” prosecutors alleged.

That may be the case, but that is beside the point!

Posted by: Clem 2020-08-23 20:40

#8 Yet another example of a PR not catching a spy. If he reported everything and all was favorably adjudicated, then, well, there we are.

Posted by: Clem 2020-08-23 20:36

#7 This guy was working for the Russians before he graduated college. Why did his TS not catch that? He joined to be a spy for mother russia. He will have a long time to count every brick in Leavenworth...

Posted by: 49 Pan 2020-08-23 20:11

#6 Bes, the First Special Services Force would like to talk to you. Apparently they received multiple requests to put on concerts while they were holding part of the line above Anzio.

Posted by: Rob Crawford 2020-08-23 15:16

#5 Debbins’ mother was born in the Soviet Union, and Debbins met his wife in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, where they were married in 1997, according to the indictment.

Been fed Borscht all his life.

Why did it take 15 years to find him?
Guess we'll be hearing about a trade soon.

Posted by: Skidmark 2020-08-23 14:46

#4 The Washington Times has more here, Besoeker. Perhaps this will provide more insight.

Posted by: trailing wife 2020-08-23 13:48

#3 Perhaps they meant... special services. Fellas who hand our basketballs at the post gym. Something not quite wright about the 'periodic Russian travel' and security clearances. I'm going with special services.

Posted by: Besoeker 2020-08-23 10:19

#2 "a retired Green Beret."

Officer? CPT? MAJ? COL? Just curious.

" In 2008, after leaving active duty service...."

I can read that a couple of different ways.

Posted by: Clem 2020-08-23 09:18

#1 Life imprisonment? How about a few days being stretched in half.

Posted by: Mad Eye Angonter1301 2020-08-23 08:51

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