CIA Traitor Aldrich Ames Passes Away: Legacy of Espionage and Treachery

Aldrich Ames, a former CIA officer responsible for one of the most damaging intelligence breaches in US history, has died at 84 in a Maryland prison. Convicted of espionage for the Soviet Union, Ames's betrayal led to the execution of Western agents and posed a significant setback to the CIA.

Aldrich Ames, the notorious CIA officer whose betrayal of intelligence assets to the Soviet Union and later Russia ranks among the most damaging breaches in U.S. history, has died at the age of 84 in a Maryland prison.

Ames, who admitted to receiving $2.5 million in exchange for U.S. secrets, was arrested in 1994 after providing Moscow with the identities of several individuals spying for the West. His actions led to severe consequences for many Western agents.

Despite pleading guilty to espionage and tax evasion, expressing remorse, and acknowledging his financial motives, Ames downplayed the extent of the damage he caused in his final days. He dismissed the espionage acts as having had minimal impact on U.S. security.

(With inputs from agencies.)