Pentagon employee charged with unlawfully retaining classified docs
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Ewa Maria Ciszak has allegedly transferred classified materials from the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to her home and vehicle without authorization.
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The Pentagon is seen in this aerial view through an airplane window in Washington on February 20, 2025 (AP)
Ewa Maria Ciszak, a civilian employee of the US Department of Defense, has been arrested for the unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Tuesday.
According to court documents filed in the Northern District of Alabama, Ciszak allegedly transferred classified materials from the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to her home and vehicle without authorization between February 2025 and June 18.
Federal agents executed a search warrant at her residence on June 18, uncovering several documents marked as classified, some up to the “SECRET” level.
“Some had been placed in her personal backpack and transported directly from the MDA to her home," the DOJ reported.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Birmingham Field Office and the US Air Force Office of Special Investigations, with support from the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office and the Missile Defense Agency.
Not an isolated incident
In November of last year, Jack Teixeira, a 22-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guardsman, was handed a 15-year prison sentence for leaking classified U.S. military documents. In 2024, he had pleaded guilty to six counts under the Espionage Act after exposing sensitive material on the Ukraine war and foreign intelligence.
Teixeira, who served as an IT specialist with the 102nd Intelligence Wing, spent over a year sharing the information on Discord — initially by typing excerpts and later by posting photos of files marked “SECRET” and “TOP SECRET.” His disclosures, which included details on American allies, adversaries, and military operations, caused a serious security crisis and diplomatic tensions.
Although his lawyers argued that he had no harmful intent and only wanted to share the information with friends, prosecutors maintained that his actions were deliberate and extremely dangerous, describing them as one of the most serious breaches under the Espionage Act in US history.
Breach raises questions about US ability to protect its secrets
With the leaked material covering details on both allies and adversaries, including troop movements in Ukraine and top-secret information about "Israel’s" Mossad intelligence agency, as well as intelligence about an enemy plan to attack US troops overseas, the breach raised questions about the US’ capacity to secure its classified material.
The leak even embarrassed then-President Joe Biden’s administration, which had to scramble to contain the diplomatic and military consequences.
