A (9:42)
As a shaving brush, and cufflinks used as concealment containers and other spycraft tools that matched Hauhanin's descriptions. These finds, combined with the decoded hollow nickel message and the defector's testimony, gave the Bureau a solid espionage case. The United States government decided not to charge him with formal treason since he was not an American citizen, but instead indicted him on counts of conspiracy to transmit defense information to the Soviet Union, conspiracy to obtain such information, and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign power. His trial in federal court in Brooklyn in The autumn of 1957 drew intense media attention as one of the first major spy cases of the Cold War on American soil. At the trial, Hohanan gave key testimony for the prosecution, though the defense attempted to undermine his credibility by depicting him as a chronic liar, drunk, bigamist and thief, all of which were technically true. But it also didn't mean he was wrong and didn't have corroborating evidence to back up his story. Cryptanalysts who had work on the hollow nickel message were not permitted to testify in detail for security reasons. Still, the prosecution was able to show the connection between the microfilm, the cipher, the concealment devices found in Able's possession, and the broader network described by the defector. On October 25, 1957, the jury found Able guilty on all counts. Judge Mortimer Byers sentenced him to a 30 year prison term plus additional concurrent terms and fines. The relatively restrained sentence reflected, in part, a belief that Able might one day be helpful in a prisoner exchange, a point argued by his lawyer, James Donovan. The Hollow Nickel case did not end with Able's conviction. The information that emerged helped the FBI and other agencies map aspects of Soviet spycraft, including the use of hollow coins, microfilm, dead drops and other advanced cipher systems, and it led to the disruption of related espionage activities. The case also exposed vulnerabilities around American installations abroad, such as the US Embassy in Moscow, where Roy Rhodes had been compromised. For four more years, Able remained in U.S. custody at the federal prison in Atlantic Georgia. While Cold War tensions continued to rise through events such as the launch of Sputnik and the formation of new military alliances. The final dramatic chapter in the Hollow Nickel story came in 1962. In May of 1960, American U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers had been shot down over the Soviet Union and convicted of espionage. Negotiations eventually produced a prisoner swap. On February 10, 1962, at the Glienicke Bridge in Berlin, Abel was exchanged for Powers in a carefully choreographed handoff that became one of the iconic images of Cold War diplomacy and espionage. The public story of that exchange and Donovan's role in it later inspired the 2015 film Bridge of Spies, starring Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance, which dramatized both the Able trial and the later swap. With the Hollow Nickel case, referenced as the initial path by which the FBI discovers its man, Rainio Halhanin struggled with alcoholism and personal instability and died in a car wreck in 1961 in Pennsylvania, which was widely believed to be accidental, but you never know. Rudolf Abel returned to the Soviet Union and was quietly honored by the KGB and lived as an artist and lecturer before dying in Moscow in 1971. Able's defense attorney, James Donovan, later conducted additional Cold War negotiations, including helping secure the release of prisoners in Cuba after the Bay of Pigs operation and died in 1970. As for Jimmy Bozart, the kid who started everything, an anonymous donor gave Jimmy an Oldsmobile 98 automobile. Jimmy sold the car one year later and reportedly used the proceeds to invest in stocks, notably the Texas Gulf Sulphur Company, which marked the beginning of his successful entrepreneurial career. In 1957, Jimmy was one of 69 witnesses who were called to testify in the trial of Rudolf Abel, and as far as I can tell, he is still alive. As of the time of this recording, the Hollow Nickel case had several profound implications for the Cold War. It strengthened US Anti espionage efforts by giving investigators their first clear, tangible window into the spy craft of deep cover Soviet illegal agents. The discovery of the hollow coin exposed how the KGB used microfilm coated dead drops, disguised techniques and the highly advanced vic cipher. This allowed the FBI to refine its training, update its manuals and recognize similar concealment devices in future cases. It also revealed weaknesses in US security practices, particularly how American personnel abroad, such as embassy staff, could be compromised, leading to tighter counterintelligence, screening and oversight. By successfully identifying and dismantling one of Moscow's most sophisticated networks, the case boosted the FBI's confidence, provided a blueprint for unraveling illegal residency operations, and signaled to the Soviets that even their most secret operatives were vulnerable to detection. And all of this came about because of the accidental discovery by a 14 year old paperboy who was collecting money from his route. The executive producer of Everything Everywhere Daily is Charles Daniel. The associate producers are Austin Otkin and Cameron Kiefer. Today's review comes from listener Nathan Boundy. Over on the Facebook group they write hi guys.
