Italy’s spy thriller has taken a more mundane turn with indications that the Italian Navy captain accused of passing classified documents to Russia was desperate for extra money.
Italian police have found a stash of classified and highly classified military documents they believe an Italian navy captain gave to a Russian official in return for cash, a judicial source said on Friday.
Italy’s spy thriller took a decidedly mundane turn Thursday with indications that the Italian Navy captain accused of passing classified documents to Russia was desperate for extra money to pay his mortgage and support his four children.
Walter Biot, an Italian Navy frigate captain most recently assigned to a policy position at the Defense Ministry, was being held at Rome’s Regina Coeli prison. During a preliminary interrogation Thursday, he exercised his right to not answer prosecutors’ questions or make a statement, Italian news reports said.
Biot was arrested on espionage charges Tuesday after he was allegedly caught passing a pen drive of classified documents, including some on NATO operations, to a Russian Embassy official in exchange for 5,000 euros ($5,900). He had been trailed for months by Italian intelligence officials.
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Suspected Italian spy gave Russia highly confidential material: Report
General view of the Russian Embassy after a Russian army official, who is accredited with the embassy, and an Italian navy captain were arrested on suspicion of spying, in Rome, Italy, on Mar 31, 2021. (Photo: REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane)
02 Apr 2021 05:07AM Share this content
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ROME: Italian police have found a stash of classified and highly classified military documents they believe an Italian navy captain gave to a Russian official in return for cash, a judicial source said on Friday (Apr 1).
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