CIA's Aldrich Ames Convicted of Treason [1994]

U.S.-Russian relations were chilled early in the year when the CIA announced one of its top agents was spying for the Soviet Union, and then Russia. Aldrich Ames and his wife Rosario were arrested, charged with selling secrets for 2.5 million dollars. Ames sold the names of every double agent he knew of, causing the deaths of at least a dozen. Many were executed, imprisoned, or just disappeared. We do not have an exact number. When it learned agents were killed, The CIA knew it had a traitor. But it didn't catch Ames for 9 years, even though he acted wrecklessly, paying half a million dollars in cash for a new house, and buying a Jaguar. Ames was sentenced to life in prison, but was able to cut a deal to reduce his wife's sentence. Asked why he did what he did, Ames said money was his main motivation. CIA Director James Woolsey was much criticized for only reprimanding, not firing or demoting the managers who failed to take note of Ames' suspicious ways. On December 27th, he resigned under fire. Narrator: Don Harrison. OPEN SLOWLY CCCP USSR Helen Fahey, U.S. Attorney Langley, Virginia