WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will plead guilty under an agreement that allows him to walk free and avoid a prison sentence in the U.S., according to multiple outlets, doing so after spending more than 10 years fighting extradition to the U.S. after he published classified military documents.
Assange's plea deal must still be approved by a judge. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
Assange has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiring to obtain and disclose information related to the national defense, NPR reported.
Assange is also expected to be served with a 62-month prison sentence that equals and will credit the amount of time he has been imprisoned at a high-security prison in London, according to CNN, which noted the deal means Assange will return to his home country of Australia.
News of the plea deal, which is pending the approval of a federal judge, comes a few months after President Joe Biden said the U.S. was “considering” the end of Assange’s prosecution.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.