A retired U.S. Army officer, who served as a civilian employee of the U.S. Air Force at the Offutt Air Force base in Nebraska, was recently arrested and let go from the position for leaking classified information on a “foreign online dating platform.”
David Franklin Slater, 63, was arrested for “conspiring to transmit and transmitting classified information relating to the national defense (National Defense Information or NDI) on a foreign online dating platform.”
Feds say Air Force employee David Slater sent top secret information through a foreign dating website.. to a co-conspirator who referred to him as "Secret Informant Love"
Just filed to @CBSMornings ====> pic.twitter.com/FxhjL31oCa
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) March 5, 2024
The 63-year-old retired Army officer is accused of spreading classified information to a figure he believed was a Ukrainian woman on an anonymous “foreign online dating platform.”
Slater is said to have illegally sent NDI classified information at the “SECRET” level. This information could have been used to harm the U.S. or to the advantage of a foreign country.
“As alleged, Mr. Slater, an Air Force civilian employee and retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, knowingly transmitted classified national defense information to another person in blatant disregard for the security of his country and his oath to safeguard its secrets,”
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen said in a statement.
“The Department of Justice will seek to hold accountable those who knowingly and willfully put their country at risk by disclosing classified information,” Olsen added.
The DOJ’s indictment included text exchanges between Slater and the mysterious online figure.
On March 7, 2023, Slater wrote, “American Intelligence says that already 100% of Russian troops are located on the territory of Ukraine. Do you think this information can be trusted?”
Several days later, the 63-year-old Army officer said, “Dear, what is shown on the screens in the special room?? It is very interesting.”
“By the way, you were the first to tell me that NATO members are traveling by train and only now (already evening) this was announced on our news. You are my secret informant love! How were your meetings? Successfully?” Slater wrote on March 18, 2023.
RedState pointed out that the information Slater provided was classified at SECRET or lower level, meaning the retired Army officer had access to other significant things but sold his loyalty and honor for massive sums of money.
The outlet described the matter as involving a man trying to convince a woman that he’s important and “in the know” by transferring U.S. classified information.
