Vanessa Richardson (4:16)

On March 6, 1951, U.S. marshals escorted Ethel and Julius Rosenberg Federal Court in New York City. To an Outside Observer, 36 year old Ethel and 33 year old Julius seemed like your average 1950s couple. Ethel wore a flower adorned hat that fastened around her chin with netting while 33 year old Julius was in a trench coat and slacks. But the Rosenbergs were anything but normal because according to the United States government, they were traitors. While the exact nature of their crimes has been debated for years, both Ethel and Julius were definitely involved in politics from an early age. Ethel was born in 1915 to Barnett and Tessie Greenglass. Growing up in the Bronx, Ethel and her brothers David and Bernard didn't have it easy. Ethel's parents were working class immigrants from Russia and they were hit especially hard by the Great Depression. But despite their difficult childhood, Ethel was an excellent student and hoped to become an actor one day. Sadly, Ethel was forced to put her dreams on hold. In 1931, the 16 year old got a job at a shipping company to help support her family. Considering her financial struggles, it's no surprise that Ethel became interested in Communism around this time. To her, it seemed like a fair way to balance the scales so no one would have to struggle like she had. Sometime around 1936, when Ethel was 21, she started going to Young Communist League meetings. That's where she met an 18 year old engineering student named Julius Rosenberg. The two of them had a lot in common from the get go. Like Ethel, Julius also came from a family of immigrants who struggled to make ends meet. He felt like the hunger and poverty he'd experienced growing up was avoidable, especially if the country adopted a communist system like the Soviet Union. To Julius, the USSR was an example of society done right. Ethel felt the same way. She and Julius bonded over their youthful idealism and it didn't take long for them to fall in love. The couple got married in 1939, three years after they met the following year. 22 year old Julius got a civilian engineering job in the US Army Signal Corps. He was eventually moved to their labs in New Jersey where the government researched radars, miss missile controls and electronics. And when the US entered World War II in December of 1941, Julius had a front row seat to the country's latest military innovations. His job gave him access to classified information that other countries were eager to get. Given Julius involvement in the Young Communist League, it's not surprising that spies from the Soviet Union eventually got in touch with him. In September 1942, Julius was approached by a recruiter from the USSR's spy agency. At the time, the two superpowers were actually on the same side of the war. But even though they were allies, the US wasn't willing to share its military secrets. However, the Soviets were desperate to keep up, especially when it came to developing nuclear capabilities. The USSR's agents hoped Julius could get them information about the US's progress. In that regard, Julius was so dedicated to the ideals of communism, he was willing to do whatever it took to help them, even if it meant putting his life at risk. Throughout 1942 and 1943, Julius met with his Soviet handler over 50 times. According to the Atomic Heritage foundation. He handed over a lot of classified documents, including a model of a special fuse the military was developing. However, it wasn't all that helpful to the Soviets mission. Which could be why Julius soon shifted his focus to to helping the Soviets find more recruits. In late 1943, he convinced an old college buddy and fellow Communist named Morton Sobel to join the Soviet cause. Like Julius, Morton was an engineer. He worked for General Electric's aircraft and marine sector, which meant he had access to extremely secretive projects. He was ultimately able to give the Soviets information on American advancements in radar, ballistic missile defense and military aircraft. These documents were more valuable than what Julius had been able to give them. But the Soviets were still determined to get more information on nukes. And Julius knew just where to get it. However, he'd need Ethel's help. At the time, Ethel wasn't an active part of Julius's espionage work. She was mostly focused on raising their newborn son Michael. Though she did know what Julius was doing and was happy to do her part to support the Soviet cause. And it just so happened that her brother, 22 year old David Greenglass, had the exact information the USSR was looking for. David was a machinist and In August of 1944 he started working at a lab in Los Alamos, New Mexico. This wasn't just any facility. It was the home of the Manhattan Project, America's program for nuclear development. And his role was critical. David was part of the team working on the atomic bombs detonation mechanism. He had access to high level intel and he was willing to share it. In November, just four months after David started at Los Alamos, Julius brought him into the fold. Soon enough, David's wife Ruth joined in too. She played a crucial role in helping David communicate with their handlers. It was a true family affair. But before long, those familial bonds would be tested. In 1945, World War II ended and the Nazis were defeated. But Americans soon found themselves facing another enemy. The Soviet Union. The former allies were now battling for global supremacy, which meant even more secrecy around their military projects. Both countries were trying to find out what the other one knew, which meant spies were everywhere. In the US anybody even remotely associated with Communism was viewed with suspicion. In order to conceal his work with the Soviets, Julius officially left the Communist Party. He was able to hide that he was a spy, but his bosses at the army found out he supported supported Communism. That was enough for them to fire him. It didn't stop Julius from continuing his espionage work though. Later that year, in September 1945, he met with Ethel, Ruth and David at the Rosenbergs apartment. They were there for a specific and dangerous reason. David had highly sensitive information about the Manhattan Project to share. According to David, he showed Julius a sketch of the nuclear bomb he was working on. Meanwhile, either Ethel or Ruth typed up notes on the Rosenbergs typewriter. They eventually managed to get this gold mine of intel to the Soviets. As they navigated the high stakes world of espionage, Ethel and Julius still found time to grow their family. They welcomed their second son Robert in 1947 and were loving, attentive parents to their two children. With two young sons at home, it would have been understandable if the Rosenbergs wanted to retire from their career as spies. But they remained committed to their mission and continued to feed information to the Soviets. Come 1949, that work paid off. That August, the Soviet Union set off their first atomic bomb. All of a sudden, the Cold War was feeling very hot. The US stepped up its counterintelligence efforts, desperate to find any Soviet spies. And it wouldn't be long before Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were in their crosshairs.

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Attempts instantly and with award winning antivirus you get top Tier hacker protection. Plus you'll get up to $2 million in identity theft coverage, all for just $39.99 for your first year. Visit McAfee.com, cancel anytime terms apply. After the Soviet Union developed a nuclear bomb, the US Government scrambled to root out any spies on American soil. And in 1950 they hit the jackpot when they intercepted communications from the ussr. These messages were known as the VENONA cables. The Americans enlisted their best cryptologists to decode them and their findings were shocking. According to the messages, there was an active communist spy ring in the United States. The cables first led them to a scientist who'd been giving information to the Soviets about the Manhattan Project. In exchange for leniency, he pointed the authorities towards a chemist who'd also been leaking intel. When authorities offered him a deal, the chemist also gave them a name. He said he'd given information to 28 year old David Greenglass, Julius Rosenberg's brother in law. David was arrested in June of 1950. He quickly confessed to being a spy, but he also lawyered up. His legal counsel advised him to point the finger at someone else. If he cooperated, the authorities might take it easy on him. Otherwise David and his wife could be in serious trouble. That put David in a very tough position because giving them a name wouldn't just implicate another spy, it would doom his own flesh and blood. Even so, David cracked. He told investigators that Julius was involved in selling atomic secrets to the Soviets. David's wife Ruth said the Same thing when she was questioned a few weeks later, on July 17, a handful of FBI agents stormed into the Rosenbergs apartment and arrested Julius. But unlike the other members of the spy chain, Julius refused to implicate any of his fellow collaborators. In fact, he maintained that he was completely innocent. The FBI didn't buy it, but if they wanted him to talk, they needed leverage. So a month later, on August 11, they decided to arrest Ethel on suspicion of espionage too. They hoped Julius would confess in order to save her. But even with his wife in handcuffs, Julius refused to talk. The Rosenbergs were charged with 11 counts of espionage, which meant the death penalty was on the table. The authorities were eager to make an example out of them. And so were the Rosenbergs own relatives. Ethel's mother apparently disowned her. And none of the couple's many siblings would take in their two sons. Instead, Michael and Robert were passed around until they were eventually sent to a children's home in the Bronx. But even with their children's well being at risk, Ethel and Julius still refused to cooperate with the FBI. They were told if they admitted they were guilty and gave the government more names, they'd be shown mercy. Instead, the Rosenbergs insisted they were innocent and were willing to face whatever was in store for them. Their trial began about nine months later, on March 6, 1951. And it quickly became clear that the loyalty the Rosenbergs had shown was not reciprocated. Especially not by Ethel's brother David, who served as the prosecution's star witness. David testified that Julius had indoctrinated him into communism and and forced him to pass along classified nuclear material. David also pointed the finger at Ethel, claiming she was the one who typed up the notes from their meeting at the Rosenbergs apartment back in 1945. Through it all, Ethel and Julius refused to break even. When they got the chance to testify for themselves, they repeatedly pleaded the fifth, meaning they refused to answer any questions, so they wouldn't implicate anyone else. But that also meant they couldn't give their version of what happened. After a three week trial, the jury found Ethel and Julius guilty of conspiracy to commit espionage. Just one week later, their sentence was handed down. They would both be executed by the electric chair. It was a very severe sentence, especially for Ethel. At best, there was flimsy evidence she'd committed espionage at all. It didn't seem like enough to convict her, let alone sentence her to death. And while there was clear evidence Julius had committed treason, he wasn't the one who actually provided the atomic information. David Greenglass did and he only got 15 years in prison. It seemed like Ethel and Julius's sentences were another leverage play. Maybe the threat of execution would be enough for the Rosenbergs to confess or at least give up their collaborators. The government offered the couple leniency if they did. Even then the Rosenbergs refused, which meant their executions would go ahead as planned. Despite the rampant fear of communism in the United States, many people thought that the Rosenbergs punishments were too extreme. Public figures like Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso and even the Pope came to their defense. Their protests fell on deaf ears. After three years of frantic appeals and a rejected request for a presidential pardon, the game of chicken came to an end. The Rosenberg's execution was set for June 19, 1953. Eleven years after he became an agent for the Soviet Union. 35 year old Julius Rosenberg went to the electric chair. Ethel, who was 37, followed him soon after. They were the first civilians to be executed for espionage. And Ethel was the first woman in the nation to receive the death penalty for something other than murder. The Rosenbergs were buried in Wellwood Cemetery on Long Island. The funeral was full of well wishers. Except for their relatives apparently. Julius's mother was the only family besides their sons to attend the funeral. Michael and Robert never believed their parents were guilty. After being adopted by a loving couple, they spent their adult lives campaigning for the government to release Ethel and Julius's files. They wanted to look at the evidence themselves and prove their mom and dad were framed. In 1995 they finally got their wish. That year the VENONA cables, the secret messages that eventually led the US government to Julius, were released. In the files the brothers found the same evidence the authorities had. Their father was a spy. But when it came to Ethel, the evidence was murkier. It was clear she knew about her husband's activities. But her involvement in actual espionage was either minimal or non existent. In the early 2000s the brothers got more evidence that their mother may have been unfairly accused. Their uncle, 79 year old David Greenglass, admitted in an interview that he lied when he said his sister typed up the notes from their meeting. He didn't know who typed them. He only pointed the finger at Ethel because the authorities wanted him to implicate her. In exchange, David's wife Ruth wouldn't go to jail. After finding this out, Michael and Robert wanted to get their mother posthumously pardoned. They even reached out to President Obama in 2016. So far they haven't been successful in clearing her name. Only time will tell if that ever changes. But no matter what happens, one thing will never change. The Rosenbergs weren't afraid to stand up for for what they believed in. And because of that, they paid the ultimate price. Up next, we'll jump forward to 1991, when the CIA opened an investigation into one of their own. A caseworker named Aldrich Ames. Like the Rosenbergs, Aldrich was willing to pass information to a national enemy. But his motivation was money.

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Vanessa Richardson (26:35)

Ethel and Julius Rosenberg put their loyalty to the Soviet Union's cause above all else. Even their own lives. But not every spy is in it for ideological reasons. Some are just in it for the money. People like aldrich Ames. On March 4, 1991, the 49 year old CIA employee was working through what he thought was a pile of routine paperwork. Every once in a while, he had to go through a standard background check. But Aldrich wasn't sure how to fill it out. Because for the past six years he'd been spying for for the kgb. Aldrich Ames was the last person you'd expect to commit treason because government security was in his blood. His father worked for the CIA and Aldrich was so eager to follow in his footsteps. He got a summer job as a records analyst at the agency while he was still in high school. He continued to work there throughout college and into his professional life. Aldrich loved being in the CIA. It made him feel like a member of the elite. In turn, the agency was happy to foster Aldrich's career in 1967, when he was 26, he went through a CIA career training program. Aldrich learned everything about espionage, including how to recruit more spies to their cause. And this program wasn't just a career turning point, it was a personal one. It's where Aldrich met his first wife, who he married in 1969 after an overseas assignment in Turkey. The couple moved to Washington D.C. in 1972 so 31 year old Aldrich could work at CIA headquarters. His division focused on the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. With the Cold War at its height, it was a very important job. Aldrich rose to the occasion. Throughout the 1970s, he climbed up the CIA's organizational ladder. But a bad drinking habit loomed on the edges of his success. At two separate CIA holiday parties, he made a scene after having too much to drink. It seemed like his job performance was suffering too. In 1976, Aldrich accidentally left a briefcase full of classified materials on a subway car. It contained crucial information about a Soviet asset. But aside from a verbal reprimand, he wasn't punished. While his drinking didn't immediately affect his standing at the CIA, it seemed to have an impact on his marriage. By the 80s, the tension had reached a breaking point. They didn't divorce, but when Aldrich accepted an assignment in Mexico, his wife didn't go with him. That suited Aldrich just fine. In 1982, the 41 year old met and fell in love with one of his local informants, a 30 year old Colombian national named Maria del Rosario Casas Dupuy. Starting a relationship with an informant wasn't exactly the most professional thing to do. But Aldrich didn't seem to be thinking clearly at this point. While he was in Mexico, his drinking habit only got worse. Aldrich's superiors finally noticed that his performance was slipping. He was late to work, took long lunches, and even got into a drunken argument with an official at a diplomatic event. When Aldrich returned to the US in 1983, his bosses made him go through an alcohol abuse program. Whether or not it actually worked, it seemed to satisfy Aldrich's superiors. His career got back on track and he even got promoted. At only 42 years old, Aldrich became the chief of the Counterintelligence Division's Soviet branch. The promotion and the salary bump came just in time because Aldrich was desperate for cash. After coming back from Mexico, his wife had finally asked for a divorce. That suited Aldrich just fine since his relationship was getting pretty serious. But it was also very expensive and his costs only piled up. When Maria moved in with him. Over the next two years, Aldrich's debt reached almost $13,000. It wasn't a huge amount, but he felt completely underwater. By 1985, he decided he needed a way out. As the New York Times put it, that's when 44 year old Aldrich Ames decided to recruit himself for espionage. The Cold War was raging and the United States and the Soviet Union were going head to head for global supremacy. Aldrich had access to a lot of information that would give the Soviets a chance to gain the upper hand. And he had a feeling they would pay well for it. In April of 1985, he went to the Soviet Union's embassy in D.C. at the reception desk, he handed over an envelope addressed to the highest ranking KGB officer stationed there. It contained classified information that also revealed Aldrich's clearance level within the CIA. To prove he was legit, he included a page from the agency's directory with his name and position for his troubles. Aldrich was asking for a $50,000 payout. His gambit worked. A little more than a month later, on May 15, Aldrich was invited to lunch with a Soviet official named Sergey Chuvakin. Sergey told Aldrich he would serve as his handler from that day on. A few days later, Aldrich got the money he'd asked for. He was officially a Soviet spy. About two months later, in June of 1985, Aldrich smuggled over five pounds of documents from his office. Agency employees weren't subject to searches at the time, so he simply loaded the materials into plastic bags and walked out with them. Then Aldrich handed the papers over to the kgb. The documents included a list of CIA and FBI sources who were tracking the Soviets in the U. S. The information was very valuable to the kgb and they soon showed Aldrich just how much they appreciated it. Later that summer, Aldrich and Maria got married. The KGB gave them a very generous wedding presentation. $2 million. But that payment came at a steep cost. The KGB also went down Aldrich's list and rounded up every informant that he'd named. Over the course of the next few months, four of the CIA's Soviet sources either disappeared or were executed. By the beginning of 1986, even more were either imprisoned or killed. Aldrich knew the KGB's actions had put him in danger. By rounding them all up at once. It was a clear signal to the CIA that the Soviets had gotten access to sensitive information. According to Aldrich, the KGB even apologized for moving so swiftly. Aldrich was right to be worried. The CIA realized it had a big problem There was a mole in the agency. At first, they had two initial suspects. A CIA agent who'd defected the previous year and a Marine security guard who'd admitted to espionage. But when the agency's investigators dug deep, deeper, they realized neither suspect had access to all the sources that were compromised. However, Aldrich still wasn't on their radar. And when it seemed like the danger had passed, Aldrich continued to meet with Sergey. He passed along information about the CIA's targets and the names of even more agents. He even reported these meetings to his superiors so they would look like official CIA business. Aldrich claimed he was working to recruit Sergey. He provided fabricated summaries and debriefed his superiors about the supposed mission's progress. The whole time, Aldrich was selling secrets left and right. To keep his influx of cash under wraps, he opened several bank accounts in both his, his and his wife's names. He also explained his sudden wealth to friends and co workers by saying Maria came from a rich Colombian family. But In May of 1986, about a year after becoming a Soviet asset, 45 year old Aldrich was told he was due for a routine exam. It was a regular part of being an employee at the CIA. But in Aldrich's case, it would require him to literally put his lies to the test. He had to take a polygraph. In 1985, Aldrich Ames started selling classified information to the Soviet Union. Now Aldrich was able to pay off his debts and then some. But In May of 1986, it seemed like it all might fall apart. That month, 45 year old Aldrich was scheduled for a routine polygraph exam. There was no way to refuse without arousing suspicion, so Aldrich agreed to take it. During the test, he was asked about his handling of classified information and, and his finances. It's not clear what Aldrich said, but his answers appeared to satisfy the tester. However, when he was asked if he'd ever been approached by a foreign intelligence agency, the polygraph flagged his response as a lie. According to a Congressional Senate report, Aldrich claimed he was nervous because, quote, we know that the Soviets are out there somewhere and we are worried about that. End quote. Since none of Aldrich's other answers had been flagged, the tester accepted his vague response and passed him. And so Aldrich Ames was able to continue on with his double life. A couple months later, In July of 1986, Aldrich was assigned to a post in Rome, away from prying eyes in D.C. he happily continued feeding information to the Soviets, just like he'd done in the States. Aldrich would simply fill up bags with classified reports and waltz out of his office with them. In exchange, the money kept flowing in. Aldrich opened a few new accounts in Switzerland to hold the influx of cash. But he still kept a lot on hand, which he used on expensive gifts and trips around Europe with Maria, who was fully aware of how he could afford their new lifestyle. But that wasn't the only way he was indulging. While he was in Rome, Aldrich's drinking problem resurfaced. He would often come back from lunch drunk, barely able to function. He once got so inebriated at an embassy reception that he had to go to the hospital. He also used alcohol as a crutch in his interactions with the kgb. He'd later admit to drinking before his meetings with the Soviets. He referred to it as an on again, off again binge drinking problem. Even so, he was able to provide them with lethal intel. In October of 1986, his information leaks led to another roundup of the CIA's sources by the Soviets. Like the first wave, many of these informants were killed at some point. The CIA and FBI also realized that almost 30 intelligence operations had been disrupted in the last year, which meant someone had to be giving intel to the Soviets. The two agencies separately began investigating the mole, but neither were able to identify a culprit. For the next three years, Aldrich's work went undetected. In July of 1989, his work assignment in Rome ended. Aldrich and Maria settled back in the D.C. area where they continued to burn through the KGB's payments. They spent around half a million dollars in cash on a house in the Virginia suburbs, which 48 year old Aldrich claimed was a gift from Maria's family. However, one of Aldrich's co workers wasn't buying it. He found Aldrich's newfound wealth very suspicious. And when he reviewed all the information that had been leaked, he realized something else. Aldrich had the clearance level required to access all of it. Aldrich's co worker reported his concerns to the higher ups in the CIA. But because of a series of scheduling conflicts and bureaucratic diversions, Aldrich didn't come under scrutiny until over a year later, in the fall of 1990. Their inquiries revealed a few mysterious deposits in his bank accounts, but no other red flags popped up. Still, the agency's investigators thought they should dig a little deeper. Just in case they decided to put him through a background check and another polygraph test. They didn't think it was all that Serious, though. So they waited until early 1991, when Aldrich was already due for his mandatory background check. That January, they gave Aldrich forms to fill out for it. However, he didn't return them until March 4th. It's not clear what was in those forms, but it seems like something wasn't right, because immediately after receiving them, the CIA's Office of Security officially began a thorough investigation on him. They did a deep dive into Aldrich's past, talking to people he'd worked with throughout his career. These co workers told the investigators all about Aldrich's mysterious wealth, his drinking problems, and a cavalier attitude towards classified information. For instance, someone mentioned that he routinely left his safe open at the end of the day. However, those were things the CIA already knew and didn't think posed a risk to national security. So when it was time for Aldrich's polygraph test in April, the security office didn't pass on any of the information from their investigation. As a result, Aldrich was only asked the same basic questions as every CIA employee, and he passed. But even though he was in the clear with the CIA, they weren't the only agency investigating him. The FBI was too. And they weren't convinced Aldrich was innocent. Later on, in 1991, the two agencies teamed up to find the elusive mole. This joint investigation was a big deal. It was the first time the two agencies had shared photographs, files. They compiled a list of employees who had access to the identities of the compromised operatives. Aldrich was on that list. They continued to whittle these suspects down, and each time their pool narrowed. Aldrich's name was still there. At some point, the investigators laid out a timeline of his movements over the last few years. They noticed that each time he met with an official from the Soviet Union's embassy, there was a deposit in one of his bank accounts. By the end of 1991, the two agencies were concerned enough about Aldrich that they had him transferred to the Counter Narcotics Division. They also began to monitor his purchases. In January 1992, Aldrich Ames, who had no idea he was being watched, traded in his old Jaguar for a new one. And when the investigators dove deeper into his financials, they saw he spent upwards of 20,000amonth and found out about his bank accounts in Switzerland. At this point, it was October of 1992. The joint investigation had been going on for over a year, and they finally felt ready to move forward with Aldrich as their primary suspect. The FBI took the lead and got approval to monitor Aldrich with listening devices. They also Put a tracker on his computer and his car so they could watch his movements. Throughout the rest of 1992 and into 1993, the FBI listened to plenty of revealing conversations between Aldrich and his wife Maria. They proved Aldrich was spying for the Soviets and Maria was in on it. In total, the FBI monitored Aldrich for 10 months and performed secretive searches of his home and office. During these Sweeps, they found 144 classified documents, communications to KGB agents and information about the payments Aldrich received. At some point in early 1994, they learned that Aldrich was planning a trip to Moscow in February for work. They were worried that if he left the country, he wouldn't come back. So they decided to move in. On February 21, 1994, after almost a decade of working for The Soviet Union, 52 year old Aldrich Ames was arrested at his home with his 41 year old wife, Maria. When the public heard about Aldrich's crimes the following day, there was a lot of outrage. The information he sold led directly to the deaths of at least 10 operatives and compromised over a hundred operations. Aldrich pleaded guilty in April of 1994. So did Maria. As part of his plea deal, Aldrich revealed everything about his activities, including how much money he'd made and what information Information he stole. He admitted he'd been paid almost $2 million since 1989, not including the wedding gift. But even though Aldrich was being cooperative, he was still sentenced to life in prison. Maria was given 63 years afterward, there was an internal investigation within the CIA to analyze what went wrong. The resulting report led to significant changes in the agency's security procedures. But ultimately, Aldrich Ames was the real problem. In the end, he caused an extraordinary amount of damage. All for one thing. Money. When we look back on the cases from today, that's what makes our two stories so different. The motivation. The Rosenbergs were driven by ideology, while Aldrich Ames was in it for financial gain. But ultimately, their motives didn't matter to the nations that employed them. In the end, both the Rosenbergs and Aldrich Ames were just plain pawns in a deadly game of chess. And everyone knows that when things get tough, those are the first pieces to go. The show is a Crime House original. Powered by Cave Studios At Crime House, we want to express our gratitude to you, our community, for making this possible. Please support us by rating, reviewing and following Crime House the Show. Wherever you get your podcasts, your feedback truly matters. And for ad free and early access to Crime House the Show. Plus exciting bonus content subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts will be back next Monday. The show is hosted by me, Vanessa Richardson and is a Crime House original. Powered by Pave Studios. This episode was brought to life by the the show team. Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benedon, Natalie Pertzovsky, Sarah Carroll, Kate Murdoch, Haniya Saeed and Russell Nash. Thank you for listening.