German authorities have arrested August Hanning, the former head of the country’s foreign intelligence agency, on suspicion of treason, espionage, and illegally obtaining classified information for a foreign power. The German Federal Prosecutor’s Office announced the arrest, which took place at Hanning’s residence in Nordwalde, near Münster.
Hanning, who led the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) from 1998 to 2005 before transitioning into private consulting, is accused of using confidential intelligence to compile an analysis for an officer of a foreign spy service. Prosecutors also allege he maintained multi-year contact with a representative from a second foreign intelligence agency, sharing political data partially derived from leaked documents. The specific foreign nations involved in the investigation have not been disclosed.
Alongside Hanning, police arrested a former BND employee identified as Manfred D. in Bavaria. Manfred D. served as Hanning’s bureau chief and later as chief of staff for Hanning’s successors between 2012 and 2026, remaining with the agency until this year. He is charged with aiding and abetting attempted treason as well as treasonous espionage.
The Leak of Confidential Documents
According to prosecutors, Manfred D. allegedly leveraged his position within the BND to access highly sensitive files, which he then delivered to Hanning in exchange for monetary payment. Investigators believe that over several years, Manfred D. transferred approximately 2,000 internal documents to Hanning. While Hanning allegedly used some of this material to draft an analytical report for a foreign agent, prosecutors noted it remains uncertain whether the completed document actually reached its intended recipient.
The investigation into Hanning’s possession of classified intelligence reportedly emerged during a separate legal case involving German steakhouse heiress Christina Block. Hamburg prosecutors had accused Block of planning the 2023 kidnapping of her two youngest children amidst a custody dispute. Investigators alleging Hanning’s involvement in a prior kidnapping attempt—which Hanning denies—discovered an electronic storage device containing recent BND documents during their inquiries.
A History of Security Breaches
This development is not the first major espionage scandal to hit the BND in recent years. In 2023, a high-ranking intelligence officer named Carsten L. was charged with treason after allegedly receiving roughly €400,000 ($450,000) to pass sensitive state secrets regarding the war in Ukraine and the Wagner mercenary group to Russia. His trial is currently ongoing.
Following their arrests, Manfred D. was scheduled to make a court appearance on Tuesday, while Hanning is expected to appear before a judge on Wednesday.
Source: BBC News
