WASHINGTON (AP) — CIA turncoat Aldrich Ames, who betrayed Western intelligence assets to the Soviet Union and Russia in one of the most damaging intelligence breaches in U.S. history, has died in a Maryland prison. He was 84.
A spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons confirmed Ames died Monday.
Ames, a 31-year CIA veteran, admitted being paid $2.5 million by Moscow for U.S. secrets from 1985 until his arrest in 1994. His disclosures included the identities of 10 Russian officials and one Eastern European who were spying for the United States or Great Britain, along with spy satellite operations, eavesdropping and general spy procedures. His betrayals are blamed for the executions of Western agents working behind the Iron Curtain and were a major setback to the CIA during the Cold War.
He pleaded guilty without a trial to espionage and tax evasion and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Prosecutors said he deprived the United States of valuable intelligence material for years.
He professed “profound shame and guilt” for “this betrayal of trust, done for the basest motives,” money to pay debts. But he downplayed the damage he caused, telling the court he did not believe he had “noticeably damaged” the United States or “noticeably aided” Moscow.
“These spy wars are a sideshow which have had no real impact on our significant security interests over the years,” he told the court, questioning the value that leaders of any country derived from vast networks of human spies around the globe.
In a jailhouse interview with The Washington Post the day before he was sentenced, Ames said he was motivated to spy by “financial troubles, immediate and continuing.”
Ames was working in the Soviet/Eastern European division at the CIA's headquarters in Langley, Virginia, when he first approached the KGB, according to an FBI history of the case. He continued passing secrets to the Soviets while stationed in Rome for the CIA and after returning to Washington. Meanwhile, the U.S. intelligence community was frantically trying to figure out why so many agents were getting discovered by Moscow.
Ames's spying coincided with that of FBI agent Robert Hanssen, who was caught in 2001 and charged with taking $1.4 million in cash and diamonds to sell secrets to Moscow. He died in prison in 2023.
Ames's wife, Rosario, pleaded guilty to lesser espionage charges of assisting his spying and was sentenced to 63 months in prison.
FILE - Former CIA agent Aldrich Ames leaves federal court April 28, 1994, in Alexandria, Va. (AP Photo/Denis Paquin, File)
FILE - Former CIA agent Aldrich Ames leaves federal court after pleading guilty to espionage and tax evasion conspiracy charges April 28, 1994, in Alexandria, Va. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
SYDNEY (AP) — England's players and management are undergoing a performance review following the 4-1 Ashes series defeat in Australia, with England Wales Cricket Board chief executive Richard Gould vowing to “implement the necessary changes over coming months.”
Gould issued a statement after England's five-wicket loss in the fifth test Thursday, highlighting disappointment in the campaign after the squad traveled to Australia with high expectations of ending a long drought Down Under.
The planning, tactics and preparation of head coach Brendon McCullum and cricket director Rob Key will be part of the review, along with “individual performances and behaviors” and the team's ability to adapt and react to conditions.
“This Ashes tour began with significant hope and anticipation, and it is therefore deeply disappointing that we have been unable to fulfill our ambition of winning the Ashes in Australia," Gould said. “While there were moments of strong performance and resilience during the series, including a hard-fought victory in the fourth test in Melbourne, we were not consistent enough across all conditions and phases of the contest.”
Gould said the cricket board was “determined to improve quickly” as the team prepares for the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next month.
“We will implement the necessary changes over the coming months,” he said.
McCullum, the main architect of England's attack-at-all-costs approach that the tourists started the tour with, said he'd be open to minor changes but not a complete overhaul.
“You’ve got to have conviction in your methods,” he told the BBC. "You’re not against evolution and progress, but you’ve got to have conviction in what you believe in.
“It’s about nipping and tucking to try and get a better version of your style and your beliefs.”
McCullum said he'd “see what happens” with the review “but I firmly believe in how we go about trying to build this team and progress on what we’ve done.”
Australia retained the Ashes with wins in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide, before England's drought-breaking win in the fourth test in Melbourne made it 3-1 ahead of the test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Australia has won four consecutive home Ashes series since England's last win here in 2010-11.
England struggled this tour with injuries to key bowlers Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, a heavy workload for skipper Ben Stokes which meant he couldn't bowl on the last day of the series, and a consistently flawed approach to batting in pressure situations.
England's fielding was also problematic across the series, with too many chances put down.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
England's Ben Stokes signs his autograph for a fan following the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Australia's Cameron Green, left, is congratulated by England's Jacob Bethell following the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
England's Ben Stokes, centre, gestures to teammate Brydon Carse, right, during play on the last day of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
