ESPIONAGE: The Betrayal of a Nation

ESPIONAGE: The Betrayal of a Nation

One of our country's most infamous espionage cases began with a phone call from a concerned citizen. In late 1984, John Anthony Walker, Jr.'s ex-wife called the FBI to report that she believed her ex-husband was spying for the Soviets. She was particularly concerned that Walker had attempted to gain their children's assistance in his traitorous endeavors.

A Navy Chief Warrant Officer who maintained a top secret- cryptographic clearance, Walker had access to some of America's most closely guarded naval secrets. For much of his career he was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, home of the world's largest naval base.

The FBI discovered that in 1968, in an effort to offset large financial losses from poor investments, Walker had traveled to the Soviet Embassy in Washington, D.C. and offered his "services." He followed through by supplying the Soviets with highly classified communications and encryption material, which allowed them to decode some of the most sensitive communications transmitted by U.S. military forces.

After several years of solitary espionage activity, Walker recruited his son, Yeoman 3rd Class Michael Lance Walker; his brother, Arthur J. Walker, a retired Navy Lieutenant Commander working for a military contractor; and a friend, Senior Chief Radioman Jerry Alfred Whitworth, to provide classified material to him for sale to the Soviets. Each was able to serve Walker well, given their varied levels of access to classified information.

On May 20, 1985, after an intensive FBI investigation, John Anthony Walker Jr., then retired, was arrested and charged with espionage. Walker, his son Michael, Jerry Whitworth, and Arthur Walker were all convicted of espionage. John Walker, Jr. was sentenced to life in prison. Arthur Walker was sentenced to three life terms and fined $250,000. Jerry Whitworth was given a 365-year sentence and ordered to pay $410,000. Michael Walker, as part of his father's plea agreement, was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

The FBI's investigation revealed that John A. Walker, Jr. had been selling classified military material to Soviet agents for 18 years. It is estimated that at least one million classified messages from U.S. military services and U.S. intelligence agencies were compromised through information Walker provided to the Soviets. Billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars were expended to repair leaks created by Walker and his network, and no one can assess the extent to which Walker's treasonous acts jeopardized the lives of tens of thousands of our military men and women.

Each member of the Walker Family Spy Ring had his own motivations for entering the world of espionage. Interviews of convicted American spies have identified some of the most common reasons for committing espionage:

Greed: The belief that money can be a quick fix or a source of happiness. Spies often have unexplained or excessive wealth.

Adventure: To add excitement to an otherwise boring life.

Revenge: The desire to get back at someone or something.

Ego: Combines with other motivators to boost one's self-esteem

Ingratiation: A desire to please or win the approval of the foreign intelligence officer who has been recruiting the spy.

Identification/ideology: Identification with a country or belief system; also, the sense of helping an "underdog."

Excessive debt, marital conflicts, or problems at work may interact with other motivators. Ultimately, spies often feel trapped by a situation or problem and see espionage as a solution.

The Walker Family Spy Case began with a phone call. If you have reason to believe that someone you know has committed or is planning to commit an act of espionage, please contact the Norfolk FBI or your nearest FBI Field Office immediately.