Notorious CIA Traitor Aldrich Ames Dies in Prison

Aldrich Ames, the former CIA agent turned Russian asset, died in a federal prison in Maryland, according to a Bureau of Prisons spokesperson. He was 84.

Ames was serving a life sentence for espionage and treason. He had been incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, but was transferred to a federal medical center in Maryland due to declining health. Ames was responsible for compromising some of the CIA's most sensitive operations during the Cold War, leading to the deaths of at least ten U.S. intelligence sources in the Soviet Union.

His arrest in 1994 ended one of the most damaging espionage cases in American history. Ames and his wife, Rosario, were arrested after a lengthy FBI investigation known as Operation Night Sweep. He pleaded guilty to avoiding the death penalty and was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

The Bureau of Prisons confirmed the death of Ames at a facility in Maryland. Ames was arrested on February 21, 1994, outside his home in Arlington, Virginia. The arrest followed a counterintelligence investigation that tracked Ames and his wife's spending habits, which far exceeded his known salary.

Ames began spying for the Soviet Union in 1985. He provided the KGB with the names of several CIA assets, including:

• Dmitri Polyakov (General)
• Adolf Tolkachev (Soviet aerospace scientist)
• Valery Martynov (KGB officer)
• Sergei Motorin (KGB officer)

These individuals were executed by the Soviet Union after their identities were revealed by Ames. The FBI and CIA launched a joint task force to investigate the massive intelligence losses.

Ames was incarcerated for over three decades. Following his conviction, he was sent to the United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana. In the years leading up to his death, his health deteriorated significantly.

He suffered from various ailments, including high blood pressure and heart disease. Due to these medical issues, he was moved to the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina, and later to the facility in Maryland. The Bureau of Prisons generally does not disclose the specific cause of death for inmates until next of kin has been notified.

The damage caused by Aldrich Ames is considered catastrophic to United States national security. His betrayal compromised virtually every CIA operation against the Soviet Union during his time as a mole. The intelligence community spent years trying to determine how the Soviets had learned about their operations.

The Ames case led to significant reforms within the CIA regarding how it handles double agents and monitors its own personnel. It remains a case study in counterintelligence failures and the devastating impact of insider threats. Ames claimed he spied for money, using the proceeds to fund a lavish lifestyle that included a Jaguar and a townhouse renovation.

Aldrich Ames died at the age of 84. The death was reported by a spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons. He passed away in a federal prison in Maryland. Ames was a former CIA agent who turned Russian asset.