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A civilian IT specialist employed by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) was arrested Thursday on charges of attempting to transmit classified national defense information to a representative of a foreign government.
Nathan Vilas Laatsch, 28, of Alexandria, Virginia, was taken into custody in northern Virginia and is scheduled to make his initial court appearance in the Eastern District of Virginia on Friday.
According to court documents unsealed following the arrest, Laatsch, who has worked for the DIA since 2019 and holds a Top Secret security clearance, allegedly sought to share sensitive U.S. intelligence with a foreign nation. He was assigned to the agency’s Insider Threat Division.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation launched an investigation into Laatsch in March 2025, after receiving a tip about an individual offering classified information to a foreign government considered friendly to the United States. An email reportedly sent by Laatsch expressed discontent with the current U.S. administration and offered access to classified materials, including finalized intelligence reports and unprocessed intelligence data.
Over several weeks, Laatsch allegedly communicated with an undercover FBI agent posing as a foreign official. During this period, Laatsch is accused of transcribing classified information at his DIA workstation and then removing the material in secret. On May 1, FBI surveillance observed Laatsch depositing a thumb drive at a public park in northern Virginia. The device reportedly contained multiple classified documents, some marked Secret and Top Secret, along with a message indicating Laatsch provided a “decent sample size” of the information he could access.
Prosecutors allege that on May 7, after confirming that the thumb drive had been retrieved, Laatsch sent a message indicating he expected something in return for future disclosures. The following day, he expressed interest in obtaining foreign citizenship, citing a lack of confidence in the future of the United States. While he did not demand financial compensation, he said he was open to other forms of reward.
Between May 15 and May 27, Laatsch allegedly continued removing classified notes from his workplace, concealing the material in his clothing. On May 29, he arrived at a prearranged location in northern Virginia to deliver additional information. He was arrested at the scene after FBI agents took possession of the documents.
“This case reflects a serious breach of trust and a threat to our national security,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department is committed to identifying and prosecuting those who seek to harm the United States by unlawfully sharing classified information.”
The arrest was announced by officials from the Department of Justice, including U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert of the Eastern District of Virginia, FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky, and Lee M. Russ, Executive Director of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) Office of Special Projects.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office is leading the investigation, with support from the Air Force OSI and cooperation from the Defense Intelligence Agency.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Christina Clark and Mark Murphy of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg for the Eastern District of Virginia.
A criminal complaint is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.