Retired U.S. Army Officer Pleads Guilty to Sharing Military Secrets with Ukrainian Woman Met Online
In a significant breach of U.S. national security, retired Army Lieutenant Colonel David Franklin Slater could face a prison sentence of up to 10 years following his guilty plea for intentionally sharing classified military information with a Ukrainian woman he met via a dating app. The Department of Justice confirmed that Slater passed on sensitive information from February to April 2022, during the initial phase of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Slater, who had served in Afghanistan and Germany, retired from the Army in December 2020. However, he continued working as a civilian with top security clearance at the U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska until April 2022. Prosecutors disclosed that he exchanged messages with a woman who claimed to be Ukrainian. She referred to him fondly as her “secret informant love” and “secret agent,” persuading him to divulge confidential defense information.
The intelligence Slater shared included details on Russian military capabilities, NATO operational strategies, and travel itineraries of U.S. senators and NATO officials visiting Ukraine. Notably, he confirmed that NATO members were traveling by train before this was publicly disclosed. The woman expressed gratitude for information about U.S. delegations to Kyiv, mentioning the April 2022 visit by Republican Senator Steve Daines and Representative Victoria Spartz.
According to the Department of Justice, the data shared by Slater was classified as “SECRET,” posing potential harm to national security or aiding foreign powers. Investigations established that Slater attended TS//SCI (Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information) briefings regarding the Russia-Ukraine situation and willingly disclosed information he was duty-bound to safeguard.
Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg remarked, “The defendant, an employee of the United States Air Force entrusted with some of our nation's most confidential secrets, disclosed classified information to a person claiming to be a foreigner on a dating platform. The Department of Justice is committed to holding accountable those who breach their duty to protect sensitive national security information.”
U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods stressed the gravity of the breach, highlighting that Slater's actions represented a betrayal of his years of service and security protocols. “Access to classified information entails great responsibility. David Slater failed in his duty by willingly sharing national defense information with an unknown online personality,” she stated.
Slater was arrested in March 2024 and entered a formal guilty plea in July 2025. His sentencing is set for October 8, 2025, where he could receive up to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and face a fine of up to $250,000.
