A government information technology specialist was arrested on Thursday after attempting to share confidential information with a foreign government agent or officer, according to the Department of Justice.

Nathan Laatsch, 28, was hired by the Defense Intelligence Agency in 2019 and was arrested after the FBI received a tip in March that an employee was cooperating to share classified information with a “friendly foreign government.”

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An email sent to the FBI said the employee, now identified as Laatsch, didn’t “agree or align with the values” of the Trump administration, and would be inclined to share any accessible classified information, such as “completed intelligence products, some unprocessed intelligence, and other assorted classified documentation.” 

Laatsch held a top-secret security clearance and was a civilian employee of the DIA’s Insider Threat Division, according to the DOJ. 

He thought he was in contact with a foreign government official, but he was actually in frequent communication with an FBI agent and was ready to share classified information.

He allegedly transcribed information onto a notepad at his desk and took information from the office multiple times over three days, per the DOJ. 

The FBI set up an operation at a northern Virginia park, where Laatsch was going to leave classified information “for the foreign government to retrieve,” according to the DOJ. The FBI earlier observed him depositing an item at the meeting spot on or around May 1. 

Once Laatsch left, the FBI agents found a thumb drive containing a message from him and multiple documents with information portion-marked “for Secret or Top Secret levels” from the deposit point. 

Laatsch’s message allegedly indicated that he only shared a few classified documents to prove he could access more information. 

On May 7, Laatsch allegedly sent a message to the undercover FBI agent stating that he was seeking something in exchange for providing confidential information. 

The next day, Laatsch wrote that he was seeking “citizenship” in the foreign country because he didn’t think America was going “to improve in the long term,” the DOJ said. He also allegedly wrote that he was “not opposed to other compensation,” but didn’t want “material compensation.”

On May 14, the FBI agent wrote to Laatsch that the “foreign government” was ready for more information. From May 15 to May 27, Laatsch transcribed more information and started removing it from the building by folding the notes and hiding them within his clothing.

Laatsch agreed to meet with the “foreign government” on Thursday night at a pre-discussed location in Northern Virginia to provide more information. Once the FBI received the documents, it arrested him. 

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“This case underscores the persistent risk of insider threats,” FBI director Kash Patel said in a statement Thursday night. “The FBI remains steadfast in protecting our national security and thanks our law enforcement partners for their critical support.”

Laatsch is scheduled for his first court appearance on Friday in the Eastern District of Virginia.