Aldrich Ames, CIA spy who sold secrets to Soviet Union, dies

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom

Published January 7, 2026 at 11:49 AM EST

Aldrich Ames, one of the CIA’s most notorious turncoats, died in federal prison Monday at 84. Ames had been serving life without parole since 1994, when he was convicted of espionage for selling secrets to the Soviet Union.

His betrayal led to the deaths of numerous Soviet spies who were working on behalf of the U.S.

Tim Weiner, former national security correspondent for The New York Times and author of the new book, “The Mission: The CIA in the 21st Century,” joins us.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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