After he betrayed the American people by leaking top-secret documents, a former CIA analyst will serve just 37 months in prison.
Asif William Rahman, a Yale graduate, committed treasonous actions that forced America’s ally Israel to delay critical military operations against one of America’s most dangerous enemies, putting American and Israeli lives at risk.
34-year-old Rahman was sentenced to willfully retain and transmit classified national defense information after pleading guilty.
US Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg said, “For months, this defendant betrayed the American people and the oaths he took upon entering his office by leaking some of our Nation’s most closely held secrets.”
The CIA employee, who had held top-secret clearance since joining the agency in 2016, accessed and printed two classified documents detailing Israeli military preparations for a retaliatory strike against Iran on October 17, 2024.
Within 24 hours, these highly sensitive documents appeared on social media platforms, including Telegram, compromising Israeli operational security.
The leaked intelligence from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency included satellite images of an Israeli base, aviation exercises, and military movements that were part of Israel’s planned response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack earlier that month.
Israeli officials were forced to delay their planned counterattack after the documents became public, undermining their national security and sovereignty.
The leak occurred during a period of heightened tensions after Iran had launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel on October 1 in retaliation for Israel’s elimination of senior Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists.
After stealing the classified documents while working at the US Embassy in Cambodia, Rahman attempted to cover his tracks by deleting work products, destroying electronic devices, and shredding original documents.
Despite these efforts, FBI agents arrested him in Cambodia on November 12, 2024, and he has remained in custody since.
Meanwhile, Rahman’s lawyers cited “family-related grief” and trauma from a previous assignment in Iraq as factors in his decision to betray his country.
Regardless of facing up to 20 years in prison for his actions, the Yale graduate and former high school valedictorian received a sentence of just over three years.
This case highlights the growing threat of insider leaks within America’s intelligence community.
Rahman’s actions jeopardized both allied operations and U.S. intelligence integrity while undermining America’s relationship with Israel during a critical moment in Middle East security operations.
Furthermore, the Department of Justice has pledged to continue investigating and prosecuting security breaches within the U.S. intelligence community.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, called the case “a stern warning to those who choose to place their own goals over their allegiance to our nation.”
However, many patriots question whether Rahman’s relatively light sentence delivers that message.
While Rahman now begins serving his sentence, Israel ultimately conducted limited strikes on military targets in Iran in late October.
This demonstrates their resolve despite the American intelligence betrayal that complicated their defense operations.
