German prosecutors arrested August Hanning, 80, the former head of Germany’s foreign intelligence service, on Tuesday on suspicion of espionage and attempted treason. Hanning led the Federal Intelligence Service, known as the BND, from 1998 to 2005.
Federal prosecutors said Hanning is “strongly suspected of treasonous espionage, spying out state secrets, attempted treason, and espionage.” They allege he obtained classified documents and used secret information to prepare an analysis for an employee of a foreign intelligence service.
A second man, identified only as Manfred D., was arrested in western Germany on related charges of aiding and abetting attempted treason and treasonous espionage. Prosecutors said Manfred D. had served as Hanning’s chief of staff before going on to hold the same role for several of Hanning’s successors at the BND, a position that lasted from March 2012 to March 2026 and gave him access to confidential material.
Investigators say the two men struck an arrangement beginning in 2010 in which Manfred D. would routinely pass intelligence to Hanning in exchange for payment. That arrangement allegedly continued until June 2022, during which time Manfred D. supplied Hanning with roughly 2,000 documents, many containing classified information meant for internal use only, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors said Hanning used the material in his private consulting work. A spokesperson for the federal prosecutor’s office told German broadcaster RTL that investigators believe Hanning used classified information to prepare an analysis for an employee of a foreign intelligence service. Prosecutors also said Hanning passed along information after extensive exchanges with an employee of another intelligence service. Authorities have not publicly identified which foreign intelligence services were allegedly involved.
Case emerged from an unrelated kidnapping investigation
The espionage case was uncovered during the investigation into the 2024 abduction of the children of Hamburg businesswoman Christina Block, which stemmed from a custody dispute. Prosecutors said Hanning’s arrest resulted from evidence gathered in that separate investigation.
According to Reuters, this marks the first time a former head of Germany’s foreign intelligence service has been detained. Hanning and Manfred D. were expected to appear before a judge at Germany’s Federal Court of Justice following their arrests.
