Robert Hanssen Fast Facts
CNN Editorial Research
Here’s a look at the life of convicted spy Robert Hanssen.
Personal
Birth date: April 18, 1944
Birth place: Chicago, Illinois
Birth name: Robert Philip Hanssen
Father: Howard Hanssen, police officer
Mother: Vivian Hanssen
Marriage: Bernadette “Bonnie” (Wauck) Hanssen (August 10, 1968-present)
Children: Lisa, Greg, Mark, John “Jack,” Sue and Jane
Education: Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, A.B. in Chemistry, 1966; Attended Northwestern University Dental School, 1966-1968; Northwestern University, M.B.A. in Accounting and Information Systems, 1971
Other Facts
Hanssen received payments of $1.4 million in cash and diamonds from the information he gave the Soviet Union and Russia.
At least two movies have been made about Hanssen. A TV movie called “Master Spy: The Robert Hanssen Story” was released in 2002. A feature film called “Breach” was released in 2007.
Timeline
1972 – Joins the Chicago Police Department.
January 12, 1976 – Joins the FBI as a special agent.
1979 – Begins spying for the Soviet Union.
1980 – Begins working for the counterintelligence unit, focusing on the Soviet Union.
1981 – Is assigned to the Intelligence Division at FBI headquarters in DC.
1981 – Hanssen’s wife catches him with classified documents and convinces him to stop spying.
October 4, 1985 – Resumes spying.
1991 – Breaks off relations with the KGB.
1999 – Resumes spying, this time for the Russian Intelligence agency.
2000 – The FBI identifies Hanssen from a fingerprint and from a tape recording supplied by a disgruntled Russian intelligence operative. The FBI also obtains the complete original KGB dossier on Hanssen.
December 2000 – The FBI begins surveillance of Hanssen.
January 12, 2001 – Hanssen is reassigned from counterintelligence to an obscure office at FBI headquarters.
February 18, 2001 – Is arrested in a Virginia park after making a drop of classified documents. Agents find a bag nearby containing $50,000 that they believe is Hanssen’s payment for the documents.
May 16, 2001 – Is indicted on 21 counts of spying for the Soviet Union/Russia and passing top secret material to the Soviet Union/Russia.
May 31, 2001 – Pleads not guilty to all charges.
July 6, 2001 – Pleads guilty to 15 counts of espionage and conspiracy in exchange for the government not seeking the death penalty.
May 10, 2002 – Is sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole.
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