US couple accused of selling nuclear submarine secretson October 10, 2021 at 7:42 pm

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

A US Navy nuclear engineer and his wife allegedly sold the secret data to an undercover FBI agent.

USS Connecticut in Washington, 2016

Image source, US Navy/Thiep Van Nguyen II

A US navy nuclear engineer and his wife have been charged with trying to sell nuclear secrets to what they thought was a foreign state.

Jonathan Toebbe and his wife Diana were arrested in West Virginia on Saturday, the Justice Department announced.

They allegedly tried to sell nuclear submarine design data, hidden in a peanut butter sandwich, to someone they thought represented another country.

In fact, it was an undercover FBI agent.

According to the statement, Mr Toebbe and his partner – 42 and 45 respectively – have now been charged under the Atomic Energy Act.

Mr Toebbe worked in the US Navy’s nuclear propulsion programme and had national security clearance.

The Justice Department said that in April 2020 he sent a package to a foreign government containing restricted data and a message suggesting a covert relationship, so that they could buy more data from him.

He then allegedly began writing to an individual by encrypted email. While he thought this person represented the foreign government, they were actually an FBI agent, the affidavit said.

After several months, the accused couple allegedly made a deal to share secret information in exchange for around $100,000 (£73,000) in cryptocurrency.

In June this year, Jonathan and Diana Toebbe travelled to West Virginia to drop off the data.

With Diana acting as a lookout, Jonathan “placed an SD card concealed within half a peanut butter sandwich” at a determined location, the affidavit said.

After the agent collected the card, they sent payment and received a decryption key to access the SD card. On it was restricted data “related to submarine nuclear reactors”.

Mr Toebbe then performed a second so-called dead drop – this time hidden inside a chewing gum packet – in August, with yet more secret data on it.

FBI agents then arrested the couple on Saturday, during a third dead drop.

The couple are set to appear in federal court on 12 October.

line
- Advertisement -

Discover

Sponsor

Latest

Labour plan to give new teachers £2,400 to stay in jobon July 2, 2023 at 5:17 am

The party would also make it compulsory for new joiners to have a formal teaching qualification.Image source, Getty ImagesBy Nadeem Shad & Helen CattBBC...

‘I adopt wobbly cats’on July 30, 2022 at 11:00 pm

A woman who adopts disabled cats wants more people to consider adopting.A woman who adopts disabled cats wants more people to consider adopting.

World Athletics: Katarina Johnson-Thompson ‘below her best’ in pentathlon high jumpon March 18, 2022 at 12:10 pm

Defending pentathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson fails at a height of 1.86m in the high jump at the World Indoor Athletics Championships.

Rishi Sunak and Nicola Sturgeon to hold talks in Scotlandon January 12, 2023 at 12:46 pm

The two political leaders will meet during Mr Sunak's first visit to Scotland since becoming prime minister.The two political leaders will meet during Mr...

Coventry: Vaisakhi celebrated as thousands parade in cityon April 24, 2022 at 1:58 pm

The Sikh event in Coventry saw donations made to several charities, including a Ukrainian group.