How Ames maintained his position within the company and how he was perceived to be fit to operate is quite astounding. The guy was treachery personified, the unfortunate operator’s that were compromised, caught and summarily executed because of his treason and selfishness is the same as if he executed each one himself. Secrets are one thing, lives are another matter altogether.
Thank you Sandy, I tried to be an employee of at the Farm a long time ago, I just didn't have what it takes at the time when I was still at KSU. I still talk about the CIA and its fellow depts in the best and most respectful and honorable manner that is possible, even to the point sometimes some in the conversation look at me in "wonder"; whether or not I am "pitching" them some type of line; if someone does and it has happened I just tell them why don't they try out and see how good they are in qualifying and getting hired; the conversation comes to a respectable close and a sense of silence and reverence. My prayers and thoughts go out to all the heroes and their families. And yes, I say Amen.
From my childhood one thing that never left my life is that people in charge of a operation are also responsible for the security , welfare of their subordinates/ workers. Hearing Sandy's version of the mole & Jeans & Sandy's joint effort to catch the mole within them, upholds the spirit of security of people among us. Here I may quote Three Musketeers : "all for one, one for all". This Jeans had,as she was deeply intrested before her retirement to unearth who betrayed the K.G.B. & G.R.U. fellows, who were known to her by name.
I'm a Canadian & I had never heard of this lady or her book or the man who is the object of her book (a CIA Mole). But I stumbled onto this as a "RUclips Recommendation". Interesting talk verging on fascinating. I always say, "Nothing beats the unedited talk of someone telling their story". So now I recommend it to you.
@@Artchick1972 >> I am a naturalized Canadian citizen, and I was born and lived half of my life on the communist side of so-called the "Iron Curtain" .... So, I can assure you, that after purely theoretical disappearance of the USSR from the maps, Canada as a country has absorbed so many commie agents from former CCCP (KGB, GRU) and any other former socialist countries like DDR (Stasi), too!! It was a perfect time for Soviets and for whole socialist block, to fool the World and to implant so many of spies into the Western World population. They are already implanted these days in so many levels of the different governments' agencies and in any other important and sensitive places, where the possibility exists for them to collect very important and sensitive data. If these people are not active now, they are so-called "Sleeping Beauties", but they will gonna be awake when the time will come for them !! Canadian agencies like CSIS & RCMP ... they are not excluded from this undercovered wave and present influence of the Russian agents. from the late 90's KGB=FSB/STASI invasion !! > AMEN.
Acc. to his Wikipedia page, Ames drank heavily and had numerous extra-marital affairs. You would think the CIA would have fired him or at least demoted him. Substance abuse and affairs make a person vulnerable to blackmail and manipulation in just about any job.
Because they are all drinking and having affairs also. Saw this in the navy. You can have a guy who’s cheating on his wife and as long as it’s not a big problem the brass won’t bother him. They only do it when a person usually the spouse presses the right buttons or they where gunning for the guy or gal any way. So even though it’s against the rules most of the people are drinking and banging peoples wives also. So if they are cheating on their wives and having girlfriends on the side why would they get him? The problem is it’s a sign in hindsight but it’s plenty agents who have affairs also who don’t pull an Aldrich Ames
It's refreshing to hear a clever and humble person. You have to remember that at this time Robert Hansen was at the FBI and was torpedoing investigations.
Wow, that was incredibly interesting. I read the book a while back, but had forgotten many of these details. It was quite moving when Ms Grimes would start to get emotional while recalling some of those details, and especially recalling Ames' victims, and watching her keep those emotions in check. Then the Q&A session at the end, she handled it incredibly well.
Regarding that "name six people who bother you" thing, it may be more "scientific" than some people believe. I have a friend retired from the CIA who worked for Ames, and she told me she always got that creepy feeling around him. That "sixth sense" isn't necessarily a mystical thing, but comes from lots of little clues which the person isn't necessarily conscious of, but which add up to a "feeling". I've experienced this on a number of occasions. When I was a police officer there was a former employee of my agency who had left on good terms, and was considering coming back. I told a coworker (who passed it on to the chief) that if this guy came back, I would resign - but I couldn't give a reason. I just didn't want to work with him. (Even though everyone thought he was a great guy and a good officer.) So he wasn't rehired, and a few weeks later he and his father were caught trying to flee the country to avoid being arrested for molesting children. (That's one you owe me, chief.)
In another sense, it is also, that the person may try to get more information to sell/give away, an bother other to get them, but not to much, to allerte to many red flag, but in sum, it is better visibile
@@topherthe11th23 - Are you really this clueless? If so, tell me and I'll be all too happy to elighten you and address whatever specific concerns you have about the relationships between God, morality, the Bill of Rights, and American exceptionalism. Otherwise, I'll just presume you're some loser hiding behind the keyboard knowing you can say anything you want without being held accountable.
She says that Ames was a slob, but that when he came back from Italy, he was all cleaned up, he stood up straight, and he was a different person. But then, at the end, answering a question she says again that Ames was a slob and drove an old car, and showed no signed of having money, etc. Can anyone clear this up? Was his transformation just short-lived and did he return to his slovenly ways? Also, I realize that the CIA cannot access bank accounts without evidence to get a search warrant; BUT agents were dying and this guy has access to all the information that could lead to their deaths -- and he returns from Italy as a different person, with $700 shoes and expensive suits that he could never afford on a government salary. So, isn't that reason enough to look into him? Why didn't they bring him in for questioning and ask him where he got the money and why he was acting like a different person? If he said he inherited the money, couldn't they ask, "Who died?" Then look into that? It looks to me like they could have figured out that he was up to no good at that point -- I don't know how many agents had died yet. Then when the other woman said he was spending all kinds of money in Colombia, and she was very suspicious -- if you combined the two things -- he is already looking HIGHLY suspicious -- but it looks like no one did anything, even though agents were dropping like flies. Am I wrong, or does this look like gross negligence on the CIA's part?
There’s not a conflict. At the end she says that Ames was still not showing any signs of having a lot of money BEFORE he left for Rome in 1986. The Russian contacts started to disappear in 1985. Ames appeared different after he came back in 1989. But it is true that they took another 4 years to arrest him.
It galls me that this individual is still alive, but it also highlights the difference between the Soviet system and ours: there were tales of the KGB feeding their moles into crematoria feet first and still alive. Meanwhile, our most heinous mole was not killed but imprisoned for life. Let's not forget that that difference in ideology was a big part of why the Soviet agents decided to turn mole in the first place. Ours turned for money and ego. Theirs tended to turn for ideological reasons. To treat Ames the way the Soviets treated their moles would put us on a par with the KGB and make a lie out of the reasons the Soviet assets turned in the first place. As nice as it would be to see Ames executed, that matters more. These people got killed on the whole because they thought our system was better. Are we going to make their sacrifice a lie? And again, don't forget -- our moles turned for money or ego. Theirs turned for ideology. And while they execute theirs in awful ways, we imprison ours. There IS a difference here. Any attempts at false parallels just don't hold water. And I might ask people not to out-cynic me. I'm a bitter middle-aged broad with a rock for a heart and ZERO hope in human nature. If you want a cynicism competition, I'll bury you. :-)
I don't disagree with you. As much as Ames certainly may have deserved execution. So why didn't it happen? Well first death penalty CAN BE imposed for Trason, Espianoge, Murder, large scale drug trafficking, attempted murder of a witness, juror, or court officer. There are basically 4 options for a Prosecutor actually 5 technically through that 5th is unthinkable that being a Prosecutor is never legally obligated to prosecute anyone he could simply dismiss charges at will it their discretion. Thank got that didn't happen. The other option is Treason, yeh not happened. While Treason might indeed fit no Prosecutor is even going to attempt Treason unless they have a rock solid case. While they have plenty of witnesses that Ames did what he is accused of. Unfortunately for Treason that's not good enough.Very much like Murder Treason requires the culpable mental state of Intentionally, knowingly and without coercion. To be convicted of Treason the Prosecutor needs to either at least to witnesses to both the act and intent to commit that act. A person accused need only assert they were coerced and unless the government can prove otherwise than its case closed. In order to get a needed confession a Prosecutor can be forced to take death off the table. Death is not the only available penalty. Who decides? In an Espianoge case the Judge decides. Sentencing for Treason however is passed by Congress and they have many options. In 230 years of US History only about 25 people have even been charged with Treason. Those few that were actually convicted and executed 5 were for collaboration with the enemy during WWII either with the Nazis or Japanese, 2 were for Espianoge of the kind Ames was guilty of but Ethal Rosenberg and her husband leaked the The Manhatten Project( Nuclea Weaoons Creation) to the Soviet Union a crime so serious it warranted death but they were charged with Espianoge not Treason so again why? Simple Espianoge which includes the lesser included offense of Mishandling Classified Info doesn't require intent weather you meant to not is irrelevant. You can violate the Espianoge Act without even knowing you did it and completely by accident and be just as guilty. It's something you either did or didnt do, there is no mitigation. This is why The Espianoge Act has been used to frequently over the years and Treason is avoided. John Walker Lindh the American caught red handed fighting along side the Taliban certainly deserved Treason and the Espianoge Act didn't apply. He asserted he only went to Afghanistan to study Quaran and was forced to fight. I don't remember what he was ultimately charged with but he did nineteen years and got out on good behavior. Before WWII all those charged with Treason were before during and after the Civil War. None of those were charged under the US Constitution. They were charged and prosecuted either by Military tribunal or under State Treason Statutes that no longer exist. The first person executed for Treason in the US was John Brown for his attack on Harper's Ferry he was convicted of Treason against the State of Virginia not the US. So it's sort of irrelevant wether the charge is Treason, Espianoge Mishandling or Murder you can be executed for all of them. Espianoge is simply easier to prosecute but the sentencing is up to the Judge..They tend to prioritize the death penalty for where it's not any other option. Aldrich Ames doesn't pose a threat
Earlier this week, I saw your former president T side with WACO suicidal child rapists to try get Americans to vote for him for his next term. And none of your news outlets, from FOX to MSNBC even mentions that. Your traitors are out in the open and act with impunity. So, did I miss something?
I feel there is nothing more despicable than someone who betrays for money, no matter which side they're on. I can understand if someone does it in the belief that what they do will lead to a better word, even if misguided; at least they have humanity at heart. But someone who does it for money or an ego trip simply is worthy only of either being locked away forever or executed. It's really hard to think of anything good to say about them.
@@onlinecomment I am sure they do very well at the CIA, I'm sure even the lowest operative makes six figures, plus they can retire early at 80% pay. Not bad, their retirement program alone is worth millions. I am sure you can get nice bribes, but this guy sold out for a few bribes under $10,000. If you sell out for millions, it will be hard to use it without being noticed.
After 1.11, she explains that she just kept going on with it FOR YEARS despite her JUSTIFIED suspicions that he was ridiculously well off on a limited government salary, and she knew from friends that a rich wife would not explain it, because his wife wasn't rich! And she confidently explains herself, on and on, as though her lapse was completely normal!
Agreed. It was a dead giveaway and should have raised great suspicion worthy of investigating further. The CIA knew money was always a primary motive, so if 1 person is suddenly wealthier than their same level piers, and living a life out of line with his salary, how can you not immediately look at that and think that money must be coming from somewhere outside of CIA. I’m staggered they were kept on this assignment for so long with no answers.
@@mjrowden That was the problem. CIA Officers couldn't accept or believe that one of their own could be a mole. There was rationalization and it was easier to just deny (and not a river in Egypt).
As Ms. Grimes stated at the end of the talk, there was no visible change in his appearance until he returned from his last assignment, with fancy clothes and an arrogant attitude that he hadn't had even in 1989 when he had already had a lot of money paid to him, still drove a Volvo that the windows wouldn't go up and down.
@@rweisele, It would be interesting to know how much time and money was spent on watching the CIA's own people and the frequency of such observations. Clearly in the Ames case there was not anywhere near enough time spent on regularly checking him out.
Lol! I knew it was Ames 20 years before Ames was caught because Ames framed a Army private who got life in Leavenworth and the big tip off was that no Private would have access to the information that was allegedly passed.
Very interesting, thank you Sandy. From earlier reading, his Italian Suits, shows, capped teeth seemed to be an important missed clue. But, I think you explained that.
@@Tomm9y nine years ago when I worked for the USAF with a security clearance I was called into conference with two counter intel agents to explain certain transactions in my bank accounts. They had noticed large transactions coming in and large cash withdrawals going out each month. I had to explain that I was in the process of adding onto a house I owned and was paying cash for work done each month (cash discount). I could show stock sales putting money into my account and invoices from my contractor for the cash withdrawals so they were happy I was not being blackmailed or selling information. I was surprised they were monitoring my account since each withdrawal was less than the amount for reporting to the IRS.
@@karlstreed3698, Thanks for the anecdote, "Big Brother" is watching us; it is a sad commentary on the nature of manmade, commie/socialist, anti-Christian, political government.
@@WJack97224 In my case I had high enough security clearances that they had authority to monitor my finances because of the Ames case and other traitors. They missed several accounts I had because they were in trust and LLC names so big brother is not infallible.
@@karlstreed3698, My guess is that with the aid of modern computers, the agency has people writing code that allows programs to crack almost any "paper trail." Years ago I came across CARINVORE, PROMIS and ECHELON that could track just about anyone and anything and so I suspect those "spy" devices have been improved. Not sure if they were used on Ames but doubt it.
If I was in the CIA, I would run continuous mole search operations including bank monitoring, grading scales research as referenced in this talk, clothing analysis, random tails, random monitoring, I would assume at any given moment that we had 2-3 moles to catch, on an ongoing basis. Every time something unusual happened with a source I would definitely dig deep.
Why would the CIA would even employ Ames if he was a slob, always late, disorganized, etc. ? How could you trust such a person with secrets and human lives, even he were totally loyal ?
The Best spies are the ones who are never known or caught and believe me there are guys who are long dead now that were traitors but never got found out and are thought of as heros i will never know thier agency or department will never know because they where lucky or that good
I find it simply amazing that they took 8 years to catch this guy when it looks like an investigation might of first looked at bank records. Her statement about that they are not actually an investigative agency was quite telling and the fact that the fbi probably did not have access to cia information. More to this as usual if he did this someone else within the agency let him.
Ames failed several lie detector tests, yet was still promoted. The FBI suspected his activities, CIA ignored them. He gave up double agents for many years. He was sloppy as well while in Italy. Doesn't sound like such a good job when over 30 people are executed.
The most scary thing is how incompetent the CIA really is not being able to pinpoint a fumbling amateur like Ames... Imagine if they had to catch someone really good and intelligent? oh wait they never did...
You obviously have no experience in the Intelligence world. Nothing is easy, no one is stupid, Ames was not a bumbling amateur and the CIA has caught spies who were good. Back to school.
@@WJack97224 of course it’s not a game. The post I said is a quote from the Matt Broderick movie “War Games” where the rogue computer WOPR gets forced to play games of tic tac toe to realize the futility of nuclear war. You win 100% of fights you do not get intoX
Ms. Grimes, I have got to get this book. Excellent talk, THANK YOU. You mention the KGB view that women CoS in Africa made excellent targets "because there were no men for them", but did not elaborate. The point may be obvious to you, but just to clarify, are you saying KGB believed that no white woman would want a black man? This seems consistent with the idea that, until the mid-80s, KGB (largely thanks to RFE and VoA) did not believe CIA would field black American men as agents.
Always fascinated how these agencies seem surprised when a double agent is found in their organization. 140 people knew of these foreign sources: you want to keep a secret - don't share it.
When you have people working as a double agent or working as an under cover selling fake classified information is a double-razor blade if that agent can access the real thing and become a traitor just for the money.
Nobby Barnes a bit but I’m not American,I would have respected him if he showed more concern about pollution.the us is in a position to lead the world,my dad fought with Americans from DDay they helped save the free world.i guess I don’t like traitors is my point here,cheers
Why the identities of KGB are shared with a group? Or anyone who has security clearance can access those identities? This does not sound like intelligence system should work.
Anything can happen when a person or a group of individuals are corrupted with personal, political, and financial interests, and not just in the spy agencies.
I see that you wrote this reply 4 years ago. Before President Trump was elected. If you see my reply to yours, will you please answer me? ... This is my opinion, and I don't expect you to agree with me, but I would love to know what you think, after your 4 yrs of answering before. In my heart, I believe our Commander and Chief, President Donald J. Trump...whom has never been, never will be, and is not at this moment...a Politician... The MOST... AWESOMEST AND BEST PERSON TO REPRESENT OUR BEAUTIFUL UNITED STATES of AMERICA!! When you wrote your reply 4 years ago, Obama was in office. How did you feel about him at that time, and how do you feel about him now? Does it bother you at all that he almost 'shadows' President Trump, saying 'bad' things to 'undermind' President Trump? I do not work for any newspaper, or even belong to 'facebook', twitter, or any of those social media sites. I'm just curious for me. Thank you in advance if you do answer me. (Pura Vida!) ;-)
Great lecture. She speaks well, owned. her mistakes, and I'm glad she showed the victims families. However, I am disappointed my tax dollars are spent to keep Aimes well fed prison with free health care. No better candidate for the death penalty. Or at least trade him with the Russians for another double spy(s).
Shame on the alphabet agencies, Rick Ames sent numerous signals. Large money expenditures, alcoholism, failure to pass several polygraphs, etc. We cannot see what we do not look for. I hope the current atmosphere of political involvement has not had a permanent derogatory effect on them...but I have no such hope.
Love, (or the lack of it), and money, (or the lack of it), almost always explain puzzling, (and in this case deadly), human behavior. I want to think that the CIA has become better at heading off the potential for weasels in their midst to betray and cause the death of human beings. As for the test of ‘who bothers you the most’, that impresses me as still useful. Private businesses always go after the big fish. This government agency may still be inept at preventing this stuff from happening.
45:00 "Fortunately, luckily - any adjective you wanna use..." says the University graduate in the Russian language and top agent of the CIA. Well, as we learned in grade school, these words are ADVERBS, not adjectives.
This is why in 2023 the CIA is headed by a woman, as are 4 of the 5 service sections. Quiet, restrainef persistence and dedication are their hallmarks. As the SAS realised in their war against the IRA, 'shoot the woman first' see Mairead Farrell's story and separately the history of the Baader Meinhof gang.
I'm not saying that women can't be badass warriors or effective administrators, but don't make it harder than it needs to be. The most likely reason all those women are in senior positions is because they are women, and it's a US government agency.
It's a game they're mad at Ames for being a traitor., but what about the people they recruited, they were also commmiting treason! So USA is the good guy. ? Hahaha
That friggin' cameraman is asleep! And when he finally does show the picture, he shows it from far away so we can't see a dang thing! Must be a KGB agent!
My daughter just saw this post and asked me what that word meant. I had to explain about making love and how that is a good thing. My daughter was born with HIV and soon I was going to tell her how this “fucking” was what is going to make her life short.
It's a small thing but I can"t understand why she doesn't at least refer to calling the bastard as Ames, and not keep giving him the courtesy of calling him by his abbreviated nickname.
Great story. A 140 or however many people it was that knew all the assets that we lost is too many. I don't understand why so many people need to know?
It seems that some assets had been with the agency, if inactive, for decades. In that timescale new people come into any organisation, move about, get promoted, move sideways, and so on. The CIA was, and probably is, no different. People come in, work at Langley, go to Europe, come back, go to Africa, Eastern Europe, and so on. It's how people get experience, and presumably with each new post comes a new set of (maybe historical) case files.
He made $60,000/yr, wore $5,000 tailored suits, $6,000/month phone bill and had a $500,000 home paid with cash. Yet it took the cia, fbi and these ladies a decade to catch him. lol
Ames is likely a sociopath. He was a total underachiever, had a history of substance abuse, no moral compass/empathy, repeated infidelities, utterly reckless, sloppy, arrogant, in interviews given he’s totally unrepentant.
Really good video & content. (I've watched parts of it before) I'm commenting because there are 777 "thumbs up" and 77 "thumbs down" for this video. I almost feel like the numbers are being manipulated. It would be interesting to watch a good video on youtube/internet espionage during the modern day.
In just about every country in the world, the act of treason is subject to stiff penalties. In the United States, the punishment for treason is often life in prison or the death penalty. Anyone who becomes involved in such acts, usually knows the risks that he or she is taking (they aren't usually dumbos involved in these types of conspiracies). The people in Russia who died because of their treason against their country, knew the chance they were taking, as did Ames. You can't forget the fact that they were committing treason against their country, and Ames was committing treason against his country. Is this not true? Just because the Russians who were spying for the United States are deemed heroes in the U.S., doesn't make their acts non-treasonous in Russia. Do you get what I mean? Is it possible for us all to work together instead of fighting each other all the time? Could we not try to find some common ground? I know that neither the United States or the Russian Federation trust each other - I get that loud and clear. But, couldn't we try to work together to do good things in the world? It's possible, but only if we try.
Oh my God. Somebody somewhere read and spoke my mind! Of course traitors are traitors and I can not understand the double standard that your government and some others shout out loud about. And yes of course all can work together, for something good. Both Mr trump and Mr Putin seemed willing to do so and were or seemed capable of. But there were, somewhere behind closed doors, someones who opposed this so badly. You can see what they did and are doing to President Trump. It needs merely a touch back on our human nature and pure inner self that believes in God or Goodness and not in evil or darkness .. seriously speaking. Otherwise it can only go worse at all levels. And those who are steering such misery and hatred, do not seem to comprehend that they are indeed directly affected no matter how protected or immuned they may think themselves to be. The amount of work, manipulation, stress and distress they are to put up with is enough, the least to say...
Ames was obvious - spending money and no polygraph. These people are and were inept, inexcusably so. These people do not deserve any credit, then neglected their own regulations and procedures. Sad. Should have been fired.
It takes a LOT longer than an hour video to become truly informed about this case. Ames had told people before he even began his spying for the Soviets, that his wife was from a wealthy family. His treason wasn't so obvious from the inside.
petermsp You make excellent points . Let me address them. First, Grimes mentions early on that the CIA new Rosario's family didn't have money. So they also knew early on that Ames was lying about the source of his money. He apparently did pass a sloppy polygraph, one which couldn't distinguish between normal and extra-normal foreign contacts. He could have been found. Now, at the end, I believe she says that the CIA report was turned in and IGNORED. Ames wasn't busted until a Russian turned him in. I may have misunderstood some of this, but I don't think so. The CIA was revealed as expensive and incompetent. Were I her I'd be very proud of some of my innovative techniques and humiliated by the overall ineffectiveness of the effort. It certainly leaves one terrified that our security is in the car of that kind of people.
John Smith John I understood it as Diana who served with Ames in MEX and was social friends with the couple brought that info in after the Special Task Force had already begun it's investigation. Remember they started with 160 possible suspects in addition to the KGB disinformation campaign which included defector Edward Lee Howard, KGB agents U.S. Marine Embassy Guard Clayton Lonetree and U.S. Army Col. George Trofimoff Add to that the defection and subsequent return to Russia of Col. Vitaly Yurchenko. It was a lot to sort through and combined with the bureaucratic problems with FBI (remember CIA can't prosecute) and I'm amazed that Ames was caught at all. I think we saw the truly sad aspect of failure to work together on 9/11. I'm proud of Grimes and Vertefeuille as well and think the "Who don't you like?" list was inspired genius. I think only a female would have come up with that and been brave enough to say it to the group.
petermsp Well, I agree with much of what you say and mostly I certainly admire the way they went about deciding who they would focus on. With 160 possibles and needing to remain undetected, I thought they managed to do that quite cleverly and effectively. We have all formed some pretty good opinions of people with whom we worked and I'd wager our intuition would point the way toward a lot of behaviors.
Ames was not spending extravagantly in 1985/1986. That changed when he returned from Rome in 1989. Finding a mole was not these peoples jobs - they took that up in 1990.
About Dmitry Poliakov. He was born in 1921, the son of a Ukrainian librarian. During World War II he served in the Red Army as an artillery officer. The qualities demonstrated on the front propelled him after the war to the Leaf Military Academy of the Soviet General Staff. Here he stood out with remarkable results that brought him to the attention of GRU, the Soviet military espionage. He was recruited, and after further training was sent, in 1951, in his first external internship to the United Nations. For nearly 25 years, the Soviet military intelligence officer had served as the United States’ most trusted resource on the Soviet military, providing reams of intelligence and becoming a legend in the process. Polyakov accepted the "collaboration" with the American security services, being two versions for which he allegedly betrayed. One, GRU would not have agreed to give him $ 300 in financial aid to operate on his child, and that upset him. Second, he would have lost confidence in the Soviet Union. Therefore, he mercilessly sold more than 40 fellow residents to the Americans. Some were imprisoned, others shot or killed. Such a nice guy.
@@deoglemnaco7025 Yes, it is online. Each party will paint the picture they want. You know, if they fight for us they are freedom fighters but if they fight against us they are terrorists.
There is one problem with what she's saying. The people that you consider enemies have families as well. And we feel the loss and the pain as much as the family members of your assets do. Remember that when Vicky Nudelman decides to send you after my brother again.
Aldrich Ames is right in one point. He is not different from the Soviet double agents he betrayed who are also traitors in their countries. Yet, Sandy cherishes their memories here.
Nah, fuck him. He was a piece of shit with no concept of the team he was supposed to be on. Privileged blue blood fuck with no concept of what was at stake in fighting the evil empire.
Agreed. Ames had no sense of morals or ideals. There's a psychological term but it escapes me at the moment. One thing that's not mentioned in any of these interviews is Ames' intention to be caught. Consider that he paid for that half-million dollar house in cash. What idiot would do that who didn't want to be caught? As a CIA officer, he would be intimately familiar with how that would look. What Federal government employee could afford to pay for a $540k house in *cash* in 1980's dollars? The list would be very small. Under any conditions, he would have been acutely aware that the purchase would draw attention. And yet he did it. And then there was his choice of car and expensive, flamboyant custom-tailored suits. These were not the choices of someone who was trying to keep a low profile. At the end of the day, fuck him. He was, and still is nothing more than a stinking, revolting piece of shit to this day.
No, there is nothing that Aldrich Ames is right about. The people he betrayed were acting from a basis of morality. Aldrich Ames acted from a *lack* of morality. There is a difference, and it's disturbing that you can't recognize that.
Ms. S Grimes must admit she is a bit late after severe damage done by Aldrich Aimes, the real credit could be shared during 1985 after losing the main asset? Agency must alerted n begins internal audit?
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How Ames maintained his position within the company and how he was perceived to be fit to operate is quite astounding.
The guy was treachery personified, the unfortunate operator’s that were compromised, caught and summarily executed because of his treason and selfishness is the same as if he executed each one himself.
Secrets are one thing, lives are another matter altogether.
Thank you Sandy, I tried to be an employee of at the Farm a long time ago, I just didn't have what it takes at the time when I was still at KSU. I still talk about the CIA and its fellow depts in the best and most respectful and honorable manner that is possible, even to the point sometimes some in the conversation look at me in "wonder"; whether or not I am "pitching" them some type of line; if someone does and it has happened I just tell them why don't they try out and see how good they are in qualifying and getting hired; the conversation comes to a respectable close and a sense of silence and reverence. My prayers and thoughts go out to all the heroes and their families. And yes, I say Amen.
Awesome! Fascinating story. I am so grateful to these agents who help keep us safe. They are truly unsung hero’s!
❤ Shirley
Very well presented story that kept me hooked all the way through
From my childhood one thing that never left my life is that people in charge of a operation are also responsible for the security , welfare of their subordinates/ workers.
Hearing Sandy's version of the mole & Jeans & Sandy's joint effort to catch the mole within them, upholds the spirit of security of people among us. Here I may quote Three Musketeers : "all for one, one for all". This Jeans had,as she was deeply intrested before her retirement to unearth who betrayed the K.G.B. & G.R.U. fellows, who were known to her by name.
I'm a Canadian & I had never heard of this lady or her book or the man who is the object of her book (a CIA Mole). But I stumbled onto this as a "RUclips Recommendation". Interesting talk verging on fascinating. I always say, "Nothing beats the unedited talk of someone telling their story". So now I recommend it to you.
I am sure there are women with such stories in the CSIS
@@Artchick1972
No Ames in CSIS.
CSIS would never dream of hiring -someone like me- a slob.
@@Artchick1972 >> I am a naturalized Canadian citizen, and I was born and lived half of my life on the communist side of so-called the "Iron Curtain" .... So, I can assure you, that after purely theoretical disappearance of the USSR from the maps, Canada as a country has absorbed so many commie agents from former CCCP (KGB, GRU) and any other former socialist countries like DDR (Stasi), too!! It was a perfect time for Soviets and for whole socialist block, to fool the World and to implant so many of spies into the Western World population. They are already implanted these days in so many levels of the different governments' agencies and in any other important and sensitive places, where the possibility exists for them to collect very important and sensitive data. If these people are not active now, they are so-called "Sleeping Beauties", but they will gonna be awake when the time will come for them !! Canadian agencies like CSIS & RCMP ... they are not excluded from this undercovered wave and present influence of the Russian agents. from the late 90's KGB=FSB/STASI invasion !! > AMEN.
How com you never hear Aldrich Ames the biggest traitor in us history
@@goniberat2406 Because that infamy is reserved for Benedict Arnold
Acc. to his Wikipedia page, Ames drank heavily and had numerous extra-marital affairs. You would think the CIA would have fired him or at least demoted him. Substance abuse and affairs make a person vulnerable to blackmail and manipulation in just about any job.
That's because he passed their polygraphs with ease
In the last two years of the Obama administration the number of federal employees who were fired equaled 0
You should have told them this first. Instead of now when it doesn’t matter.
CIA employees rarely if ever get fired because the risk of them leaking still classified stuff is still high and very risky
Because they are all drinking and having affairs also. Saw this in the navy. You can have a guy who’s cheating on his wife and as long as it’s not a big problem the brass won’t bother him. They only do it when a person usually the spouse presses the right buttons or they where gunning for the guy or gal any way.
So even though it’s against the rules most of the people are drinking and banging peoples wives also. So if they are cheating on their wives and having girlfriends on the side why would they get him? The problem is it’s a sign in hindsight but it’s plenty agents who have affairs also who don’t pull an Aldrich Ames
It's refreshing to hear a clever and humble person. You have to remember that at this time Robert Hansen was at the FBI and was torpedoing investigations.
Ames had been living beyond his salary for years. These people should not pat themselves on the back. It went on for way too long.
Wow, that was incredibly interesting. I read the book a while back, but had forgotten many of these details. It was quite moving when Ms Grimes would start to get emotional while recalling some of those details, and especially recalling Ames' victims, and watching her keep those emotions in check. Then the Q&A session at the end, she handled it incredibly well.
I didn't breathe most of the presentation.
The horror unfolding for months and years had to be unbearable.
Regarding that "name six people who bother you" thing, it may be more "scientific" than some people believe. I have a friend retired from the CIA who worked for Ames, and she told me she always got that creepy feeling around him.
That "sixth sense" isn't necessarily a mystical thing, but comes from lots of little clues which the person isn't necessarily conscious of, but which add up to a "feeling". I've experienced this on a number of occasions. When I was a police officer there was a former employee of my agency who had left on good terms, and was considering coming back. I told a coworker (who passed it on to the chief) that if this guy came back, I would resign - but I couldn't give a reason. I just didn't want to work with him. (Even though everyone thought he was a great guy and a good officer.) So he wasn't rehired, and a few weeks later he and his father were caught trying to flee the country to avoid being arrested for molesting children. (That's one you owe me, chief.)
In another sense, it is also, that the person may try to get more information to sell/give away, an bother other to get them, but not to much, to allerte to many red flag, but in sum, it is better visibile
@@topherthe11th23 - Are you really this clueless? If so, tell me and I'll be all too happy to elighten you and address whatever specific concerns you have about the relationships between God, morality, the Bill of Rights, and American exceptionalism. Otherwise, I'll just presume you're some loser hiding behind the keyboard knowing you can say anything you want without being held accountable.
I, believe that " feeling " You felt was God ✨ leading You 🙏
My nephew is a NYC Detective and I, Continue to Pray ❤ for All ✨💕
God Bless You!
🤣 I found out my old boss is really gay and reckless. My old therapist is a prostitute too. They seemed off.
Officer Diddy and Diddy Daddy
Fascinating story well told. Thank you Sandy and Jeanne.
She says that Ames was a slob, but that when he came back from Italy, he was all cleaned up, he stood up straight, and he was a different person. But then, at the end, answering a question she says again that Ames was a slob and drove an old car, and showed no signed of having money, etc. Can anyone clear this up? Was his transformation just short-lived and did he return to his slovenly ways?
Also, I realize that the CIA cannot access bank accounts without evidence to get a search warrant; BUT agents were dying and this guy has access to all the information that could lead to their deaths -- and he returns from Italy as a different person, with $700 shoes and expensive suits that he could never afford on a government salary. So, isn't that reason enough to look into him? Why didn't they bring him in for questioning and ask him where he got the money and why he was acting like a different person? If he said he inherited the money, couldn't they ask, "Who died?" Then look into that? It looks to me like they could have figured out that he was up to no good at that point -- I don't know how many agents had died yet. Then when the other woman said he was spending all kinds of money in Colombia, and she was very suspicious -- if you combined the two things -- he is already looking HIGHLY suspicious -- but it looks like no one did anything, even though agents were dropping like flies. Am I wrong, or does this look like gross negligence on the CIA's part?
Negligent and incompetent.
Most of them were probably double agents. That's what's reported in another video about a Russian spy that detected to the UK.
Didnt stand up straight till 89. Shes speaking previous to that.
There’s not a conflict. At the end she says that Ames was still not showing any signs of having a lot of money BEFORE he left for Rome in 1986. The Russian contacts started to disappear in 1985. Ames appeared different after he came back in 1989. But it is true that they took another 4 years to arrest him.
So when Armes went from a slob to the opposite, he likely had hired people to clean his home, do laundry and ironing, etc.
wow, wow, thank you all for your service!
It galls me that this individual is still alive, but it also highlights the difference between the Soviet system and ours: there were tales of the KGB feeding their moles into crematoria feet first and still alive. Meanwhile, our most heinous mole was not killed but imprisoned for life. Let's not forget that that difference in ideology was a big part of why the Soviet agents decided to turn mole in the first place. Ours turned for money and ego. Theirs tended to turn for ideological reasons. To treat Ames the way the Soviets treated their moles would put us on a par with the KGB and make a lie out of the reasons the Soviet assets turned in the first place. As nice as it would be to see Ames executed, that matters more. These people got killed on the whole because they thought our system was better. Are we going to make their sacrifice a lie?
And again, don't forget -- our moles turned for money or ego. Theirs turned for ideology. And while they execute theirs in awful ways, we imprison ours. There IS a difference here. Any attempts at false parallels just don't hold water.
And I might ask people not to out-cynic me. I'm a bitter middle-aged broad with a rock for a heart and ZERO hope in human nature. If you want a cynicism competition, I'll bury you. :-)
I don't disagree with you. As much as Ames certainly may have deserved execution. So why didn't it happen? Well first death penalty CAN BE imposed for Trason, Espianoge, Murder, large scale drug trafficking, attempted murder of a witness, juror, or court officer. There are basically 4 options for a Prosecutor actually 5 technically through that 5th is unthinkable that being a Prosecutor is never legally obligated to prosecute anyone he could simply dismiss charges at will it their discretion. Thank got that didn't happen. The other option is Treason, yeh not happened. While Treason might indeed fit no Prosecutor is even going to attempt Treason unless they have a rock solid case. While they have plenty of witnesses that Ames did what he is accused of. Unfortunately for Treason that's not good enough.Very much like Murder Treason requires the culpable mental state of Intentionally, knowingly and without coercion. To be convicted of Treason the Prosecutor needs to either at least to witnesses to both the act and intent to commit that act. A person accused need only assert they were coerced and unless the government can prove otherwise than its case closed. In order to get a needed confession a Prosecutor can be forced to take death off the table. Death is not the only available penalty. Who decides? In an Espianoge case the Judge decides. Sentencing for Treason however is passed by Congress and they have many options. In 230 years of US History only about 25 people have even been charged with Treason. Those few that were actually convicted and executed 5 were for collaboration with the enemy during WWII either with the Nazis or Japanese, 2 were for Espianoge of the kind Ames was guilty of but Ethal Rosenberg and her husband leaked the The Manhatten Project( Nuclea Weaoons Creation) to the Soviet Union a crime so serious it warranted death but they were charged with Espianoge not Treason so again why? Simple Espianoge which includes the lesser included offense of Mishandling Classified Info doesn't require intent weather you meant to not is irrelevant. You can violate the Espianoge Act without even knowing you did it and completely by accident and be just as guilty. It's something you either did or didnt do, there is no mitigation. This is why The Espianoge Act has been used to frequently over the years and Treason is avoided. John Walker Lindh the American caught red handed fighting along side the Taliban certainly deserved Treason and the Espianoge Act didn't apply. He asserted he only went to Afghanistan to study Quaran and was forced to fight. I don't remember what he was ultimately charged with but he did nineteen years and got out on good behavior. Before WWII all those charged with Treason were before during and after the Civil War. None of those were charged under the US Constitution. They were charged and prosecuted either by Military tribunal or under State Treason Statutes that no longer exist. The first person executed for Treason in the US was John Brown for his attack on Harper's Ferry he was convicted of Treason against the State of Virginia not the US. So it's sort of irrelevant wether the charge is Treason, Espianoge Mishandling or Murder you can be executed for all of them. Espianoge is simply easier to prosecute but the sentencing is up to the Judge..They tend to prioritize the death penalty for where it's not any other option. Aldrich Ames doesn't pose a threat
Earlier this week, I saw your former president T side with WACO suicidal child rapists to try get Americans to vote for him for his next term.
And none of your news outlets, from FOX to MSNBC even mentions that. Your traitors are out in the open and act with impunity. So, did I miss something?
I feel there is nothing more despicable than someone who betrays for money, no matter which side they're on. I can understand if someone does it in the belief that what they do will lead to a better word, even if misguided; at least they have humanity at heart. But someone who does it for money or an ego trip simply is worthy only of either being locked away forever or executed. It's really hard to think of anything good to say about them.
uayfb1 but so you know how little they earn at CIA? You would trade for 7millions, too..
Agreed.
@@onlinecomment pm
P
@@onlinecomment I am sure they do very well at the CIA, I'm sure even the lowest operative makes six figures, plus they can retire early at 80% pay. Not bad, their retirement program alone is worth millions.
I am sure you can get nice bribes, but this guy sold out for a few bribes under $10,000. If you sell out for millions, it will be hard to use it without being noticed.
@@topherthe11th23 There is no morality without God. There cannot be.
After 1.11, she explains that she just kept going on with it FOR YEARS despite her JUSTIFIED suspicions that he was ridiculously well off on a limited government salary, and she knew from friends that a rich wife would not explain it, because his wife wasn't rich! And she confidently explains herself, on and on, as though her lapse was completely normal!
Agreed. It was a dead giveaway and should have raised great suspicion worthy of investigating further. The CIA knew money was always a primary motive, so if 1 person is suddenly wealthier than their same level piers, and living a life out of line with his salary, how can you not immediately look at that and think that money must be coming from somewhere outside of CIA. I’m staggered they were kept on this assignment for so long with no answers.
@@mjrowden That was the problem. CIA Officers couldn't accept or believe that one of their own could be a mole. There was rationalization and it was easier to just deny (and not a river in Egypt).
I studied Aldrich Ames to build a secure computer. But we could not defend against Aldrich Ames because he was authorized and authenticated.
Thank you for your dedicated and honorable service
Thank you for your comment.
It’s strange that his obvious change to a more expensive lifestyle didn’t stir any suspicion within the agency !
As Ms. Grimes stated at the end of the talk, there was no visible change in his appearance until he returned from his last assignment, with fancy clothes and an arrogant attitude that he hadn't had even in 1989 when he had already had a lot of money paid to him, still drove a Volvo that the windows wouldn't go up and down.
@@rweisele, It would be interesting to know how much time and money was spent on watching the CIA's own people and the frequency of such observations. Clearly in the Ames case there was not anywhere near enough time spent on regularly checking him out.
Lol! I knew it was Ames 20 years before Ames was caught because Ames framed a Army private who got life in Leavenworth and the big tip off was that no Private would have access to the information that was allegedly passed.
Thank you for both of your services. God bless
Why is Ames at a medium security facility... but Robert Hanssen is at ADX Florence SuperMax?
Their crimes and impact were similar.
Very interesting, thank you Sandy. From earlier reading, his Italian Suits, shows, capped teeth seemed to be an important missed clue.
But, I think you explained that.
Having not determined the problems in the 80's resulting in missing agents and assets, the problems remain albeit covered.
Un racconto avvincente! Grazie!
I enjoy watching "Tinker Taylor...." enormously. Now it has even more meaning but this recounting is exceptional. What impressive CIA people!
Ames and his wife were living well above their means for years -- very telling that capture took so long.
Sandy mentions that they don't investigate finances unless there is adequate cause. I would have thought that nowadays that would be much easier.
@@Tomm9y nine years ago when I worked for the USAF with a security clearance I was called into conference with two counter intel agents to explain certain transactions in my bank accounts. They had noticed large transactions coming in and large cash withdrawals going out each month. I had to explain that I was in the process of adding onto a house I owned and was paying cash for work done each month (cash discount). I could show stock sales putting money into my account and invoices from my contractor for the cash withdrawals so they were happy I was not being blackmailed or selling information. I was surprised they were monitoring my account since each withdrawal was less than the amount for reporting to the IRS.
@@karlstreed3698, Thanks for the anecdote, "Big Brother" is watching us; it is a sad commentary on the nature of manmade, commie/socialist, anti-Christian, political government.
@@WJack97224 In my case I had high enough security clearances that they had authority to monitor my finances because of the Ames case and other traitors. They missed several accounts I had because they were in trust and LLC names so big brother is not infallible.
@@karlstreed3698, My guess is that with the aid of modern computers, the agency has people writing code that allows programs to crack almost any "paper trail." Years ago I came across CARINVORE, PROMIS and ECHELON that could track just about anyone and anything and so I suspect those "spy" devices have been improved. Not sure if they were used on Ames but doubt it.
If I was in the CIA, I would run continuous mole search operations including bank monitoring, grading scales research as referenced in this talk, clothing analysis, random tails, random monitoring, I would assume at any given moment that we had 2-3 moles to catch, on an ongoing basis. Every time something unusual happened with a source I would definitely dig deep.
That would be great for company morale. eh?
Why would the CIA would even employ Ames if he was a slob, always late, disorganized, etc. ?
How could you trust such a person with secrets and human lives, even he were totally loyal ?
History from the primary sources on this youtube channel.
Seems like they could have narrowed the list to people who in 1986 moved out of positions where they had access. Ames was in Rome from '86 to '89.
The CIA was dumb then and has since become progressively stupider over time.
The Best spies are the ones who are never known or caught and believe me there are guys who are long dead now that were traitors but never got found out and are thought of as heros i will never know thier agency or department will never know because they where lucky or that good
Very Excellent, thanks for the first person accounts.
She and others were responsible for those deaths by allowing Ames to go on for years when everyone had concerns about him.
I find it simply amazing that they took 8 years to catch this guy when it looks like an investigation might of first looked at bank records. Her statement about that they are not actually an investigative agency was quite telling and the fact that the fbi probably did not have access to cia information. More to this as usual if he did this someone else within the agency let him.
Ames failed several lie detector tests, yet was still promoted. The FBI suspected his activities, CIA ignored them. He gave up double agents for many years. He was sloppy as well while in Italy. Doesn't sound like such a good job when over 30 people are executed.
A red flag when he came back from Rome with the expensive clothes and shoes. Very sad. Good work ladies
Starts at 11:00
Our hero. Came to find this comment.
The most scary thing is how incompetent the CIA really is not being able to pinpoint a fumbling amateur like Ames... Imagine if they had to catch someone really good and intelligent? oh wait they never did...
You obviously have no experience in the Intelligence world. Nothing is easy, no one is stupid, Ames was not a bumbling amateur and the CIA has caught spies who were good. Back to school.
@SquirrelFromGradLife Obviously an uneducated comment. This occurred simultaneously with Robert Hanssen being discovered in the FBI.
Much better than the two relics who spoke about Robert Hansen.
Aldrich Ames, tip of an iceberg? What say you about Diana West’s book, American Betrayal?
Definitively the atraction that George Washinton's AND Benjamin Frankling's faces exert over the human greed is more powerfull than anything else !.
No, the money was just how he kept score. Ames did this as a game of betrayal, not because he really needed the money.
Aylin Akhenaten explained this Spy Hunters subjects very well. You should see.
The spy game. We recruit and they recruit and they do the same job. It will continue.
A strange game. The only winning move is not to play. But that would require cooperation from both sides.
@@CharleyVCU1988, I dislike the term "game" where people are causing murders.
@@WJack97224 of course it’s not a game. The post I said is a quote from the Matt Broderick movie “War Games” where the rogue computer WOPR gets forced to play games of tic tac toe to realize the futility of nuclear war. You win 100% of fights you do not get intoX
@@CharleyVCU1988, Thanks for the reminder. I vaguely remember the movie. I had to check Wikipedia: WOPR = War Operation Plan Response
Second oldest profession is the great game
Ms. Grimes, I have got to get this book. Excellent talk, THANK YOU. You mention the KGB view that women CoS in Africa made excellent targets "because there were no men for them", but did not elaborate. The point may be obvious to you, but just to clarify, are you saying KGB believed that no white woman would want a black man? This seems consistent with the idea that, until the mid-80s, KGB (largely thanks to RFE and VoA) did not believe CIA would field black American men as agents.
orangequant Good point! Stupid CIA needs to "GET SMART" the goofy TV show with goofy agents - At least Maxwell SMART was "smart enough" to win!
Did she reply to you?
@@deoglemnaco7025 Nope.
Always fascinated how these agencies seem surprised when a double agent is found in their organization. 140 people knew of these foreign sources: you want to keep a secret - don't share it.
Like they say, follow the money,!!
Like who says? I've never heard anyone say that ever.
@@s31720 It's a pretty widely used phrase.
5,000 5,000, 8,000 for all those agents?
Follow the 18,000 dollars?
This all seems too neat🧐
Complaining about 9 years,The British refused to arrest the "soon to retire" infiltrators in the highest ranks,afraid of bad PR.
When you have people working as a double agent or working as an under cover selling fake classified information is a double-razor blade if that agent can access the real thing and become a traitor just for the money.
Hell’s not hot enough for that guy,thanks for the upload
Nobby Barnes a bit but I’m not American,I would have respected him if he showed more concern about pollution.the us is in a position to lead the world,my dad fought with Americans from DDay they helped save the free world.i guess I don’t like traitors is my point here,cheers
Hes not the only one whos sold this country out. You see piles of them on tv everyday.
Women need to be appointed Directors of FBI & CIA...
I love the character of Americas to turn every situation no matter how painful to an opportunity to educate others.
Thank you. It’s true about Americans.
"Handling", "asset". What a charming vocabulary. This speach should be given to any FSB or SVR or GRU officer / a potential traitor to listen.
Why the identities of KGB are shared with a group? Or anyone who has security clearance can access those identities?
This does not sound like intelligence system should work.
Excellent presentation.
The FBI nearly screwed it up; as usual! 🖤🖤🖤
“He was on our radar!”
Anything can happen when a person or a group of individuals are corrupted with personal, political, and financial interests, and not just in the spy agencies.
Very true... every profession has wrongdoing.
Yep, every profession.
I see that you wrote this reply 4 years ago. Before President Trump was elected. If you see my reply to yours, will you please answer me? ... This is my opinion, and I don't expect you to agree with me, but I would love to know what you think, after your 4 yrs of answering before. In my heart, I believe our Commander and Chief, President Donald J. Trump...whom has never been, never will be, and is not at this moment...a Politician... The MOST... AWESOMEST AND BEST PERSON TO REPRESENT OUR BEAUTIFUL UNITED STATES of AMERICA!!
When you wrote your reply 4 years ago, Obama was in office. How did you feel about him at that time, and how do you feel about him now? Does it bother you at all that he almost 'shadows' President Trump, saying 'bad' things to 'undermind' President Trump? I do not work for any newspaper, or even belong to 'facebook', twitter, or any of those social media sites. I'm just curious for me. Thank you in advance if you do answer me. (Pura Vida!) ;-)
55:48 Rebrand investigation to Survey?
Ms.Jean a Beautiful Lady and a. True. American. Warrior
Great lecture. She speaks well, owned. her mistakes, and I'm glad she showed the victims families. However, I am disappointed my tax dollars are spent to keep Aimes well fed prison with free health care. No better candidate for the death penalty. Or at least trade him with the Russians for another double spy(s).
It’s actually cheaper to keep him alive. However I think life in prison is not a very good deterrent. The Soviets even figured that one out.
Wasnt the movie called Spys like us ?
great video,but to say he was our friend is totally wrong,they knew he would be shot when found out .
Shame on the alphabet agencies, Rick Ames sent numerous signals. Large money expenditures, alcoholism, failure to pass several polygraphs, etc. We cannot see what we do not look for. I hope the current atmosphere of political involvement has not had a permanent derogatory effect on them...but I have no such hope.
Love, (or the lack of it), and money, (or the lack of it), almost always explain puzzling, (and in this case deadly), human behavior. I want to think that the CIA has become better at heading off the potential for weasels in their midst to betray and cause the death of human beings. As for the test of ‘who bothers you the most’, that impresses me as still useful. Private businesses always go after the big fish. This government agency may still be inept at preventing this stuff from happening.
This is the 2nd time im watching this. So interesting
COMMENDABLE, THANK U FOR UR EFFORTS TO PROTECT US
45:00 "Fortunately, luckily - any adjective you wanna use..." says the University graduate in the Russian language and top agent of the CIA. Well, as we learned in grade school, these words are ADVERBS, not adjectives.
Okay fatso, how many Russian spies have you identified?
What hurts the most are the Soviets executed for helping us. Actually, it really pisses me off that that four eyed bastard was responsible.
This is why in 2023 the CIA is headed by a woman, as are 4 of the 5 service sections. Quiet, restrainef persistence and dedication are their hallmarks. As the SAS realised in their war against the IRA, 'shoot the woman first' see Mairead Farrell's story and separately the history of the Baader Meinhof gang.
I'm not saying that women can't be badass warriors or effective administrators, but don't make it harder than it needs to be. The most likely reason all those women are in senior positions is because they are women, and it's a US government agency.
As Ames said, he gave up people who also gave up names. It was a game.
Calling it a "game" points out the utter evil of the spying activities.
It's a game they're mad at Ames for being a traitor., but what about the people they recruited, they were also commmiting treason!
So USA is the good guy. ? Hahaha
@@marionlacebal9498 Exactly. The CIA also does evil stuff like the innocent guy in Afghanistan they just murdered with a drone.
Aren’t they all friends now that the Cold War is over?
He gave up names of people that were friendly to the USA. That is a major difference.
Bravo Ms. Grimes!
That friggin' cameraman is asleep! And when he finally does show the picture, he shows it from far away so we can't see a dang thing! Must be a KGB agent!
Found this channel few days ago,it's fucking amazing.
It's not that good.
My daughter just saw this post and asked me what that word meant. I had to explain about making love and how that is a good thing. My daughter was born with HIV and soon I was going to tell her how this “fucking” was what is going to make her life short.
Great video.
It took too long for them to catch Ames. They should have followed the money first. And Ames could have not deposited the money if he was smarter.
very great lecture🌎🌏🌍🌍🌎🏝🏕⛱🐷🐂🐃🐐🗻
New CIA book : "Understanding Organizational Stupidity"
It's a small thing but I can"t understand why she doesn't at least refer to calling the bastard as Ames, and not keep giving him the courtesy of calling him by his abbreviated nickname.
Great story. A 140 or however many people it was that knew all the assets that we lost is too many. I don't understand why so many people need to know?
I believe it was 160 and if I recall correctly I believe she phrased it to say that 160 people were involved with at least one of them
It seems that some assets had been with the agency, if inactive, for decades. In that timescale new people come into any organisation, move about, get promoted, move sideways, and so on. The CIA was, and probably is, no different. People come in, work at Langley, go to Europe, come back, go to Africa, Eastern Europe, and so on. It's how people get experience, and presumably with each new post comes a new set of (maybe historical) case files.
He made $60,000/yr, wore $5,000 tailored suits, $6,000/month phone bill and had a $500,000 home paid with cash. Yet it took the cia, fbi and these ladies a decade to catch him. lol
Ames is likely a sociopath. He was a total underachiever, had a history of substance abuse, no moral compass/empathy, repeated infidelities, utterly reckless, sloppy, arrogant, in interviews given he’s totally unrepentant.
I often wonder how much spying is going on today? With the advance in technology does it make it harder to detect them?
Really good video & content. (I've watched parts of it before)
I'm commenting because there are 777 "thumbs up" and 77 "thumbs down" for this video. I almost feel like the numbers are being manipulated.
It would be interesting to watch a good video on youtube/internet espionage during the modern day.
In just about every country in the world, the act of treason is subject to stiff penalties. In the United States, the punishment for treason is often life in prison or the death penalty. Anyone who becomes involved in such acts, usually knows the risks that he or she is taking (they aren't usually dumbos involved in these types of conspiracies).
The people in Russia who died because of their treason against their country, knew the chance they were taking, as did Ames. You can't forget the fact that they were committing treason against their country, and Ames was committing treason against his country. Is this not true? Just because the Russians who were spying for the United States are deemed heroes in the U.S., doesn't make their acts non-treasonous in Russia. Do you get what I mean?
Is it possible for us all to work together instead of fighting each other all the time? Could we not try to find some common ground? I know that neither the United States or the Russian Federation trust each other - I get that loud and clear.
But, couldn't we try to work together to do good things in the world? It's possible, but only if we try.
Oh my God. Somebody somewhere read and spoke my mind! Of course traitors are traitors and I can not understand the double standard that your government and some others shout out loud about.
And yes of course all can work together, for something good. Both Mr trump and Mr Putin seemed willing to do so and were or seemed capable of. But there were, somewhere behind closed doors, someones who opposed this so badly. You can see what they did and are doing to President Trump.
It needs merely a touch back on our human nature and pure inner self that believes in God or Goodness and not in evil or darkness .. seriously speaking. Otherwise it can only go worse at all levels. And those who are steering such misery and hatred, do not seem to comprehend that they are indeed directly affected no matter how protected or immuned they may think themselves to be. The amount of work, manipulation, stress and distress they are to put up with is enough, the least to say...
I knew this was an old video the moment he asked the audience to turn off their
PDAs
Ames was obvious - spending money and no polygraph. These people are and were inept, inexcusably so. These people do not deserve any credit, then neglected their own regulations and procedures. Sad. Should have been fired.
It takes a LOT longer than an hour video to become truly informed about this case. Ames had told people before he even began his spying for the Soviets, that his wife was from a wealthy family. His treason wasn't so obvious from the inside.
petermsp You make excellent points . Let me address them. First, Grimes mentions early on that the CIA new Rosario's family didn't have money. So they also knew early on that Ames was lying about the source of his money. He apparently did pass a sloppy polygraph, one which couldn't distinguish between normal and extra-normal foreign contacts. He could have been found.
Now, at the end, I believe she says that the CIA report was turned in and IGNORED. Ames wasn't busted until a Russian turned him in.
I may have misunderstood some of this, but I don't think so. The CIA was revealed as expensive and incompetent. Were I her I'd be very proud of some of my innovative techniques and humiliated by the overall ineffectiveness of the effort. It certainly leaves one terrified that our security is in the car of that kind of people.
John Smith John I understood it as Diana who served with Ames in MEX and was social friends with the couple brought that info in after the Special Task Force had already begun it's investigation.
Remember they started with 160 possible suspects in addition to the KGB disinformation campaign which included defector Edward Lee Howard, KGB agents U.S. Marine Embassy Guard Clayton Lonetree and U.S. Army Col. George Trofimoff
Add to that the defection and subsequent return to Russia of Col. Vitaly Yurchenko. It was a lot to sort through and combined with the bureaucratic problems with FBI (remember CIA can't prosecute) and I'm amazed that Ames was caught at all. I think we saw the truly sad aspect of failure to work together on 9/11.
I'm proud of Grimes and Vertefeuille as well and think the "Who don't you like?" list was inspired genius. I think only a female would have come up with that and been brave enough to say it to the group.
petermsp Well, I agree with much of what you say and mostly I certainly admire the way they went about deciding who they would focus on. With 160 possibles and needing to remain undetected, I thought they managed to do that quite cleverly and effectively. We have all formed some pretty good opinions of people with whom we worked and I'd wager our intuition would point the way toward a lot of behaviors.
Ames was not spending extravagantly in 1985/1986. That changed when he returned from Rome in 1989. Finding a mole was not these peoples jobs - they took that up in 1990.
Visuals don't help much if you can't see them.
I wonder why Rick Ames deposited those cash payments?
Traitors are the WORST.
No. They are the BEST. It is you who is the WORST. Long live mother russia!
About Dmitry Poliakov. He was born in 1921, the son of a Ukrainian librarian. During World War II he served in the Red Army as an artillery officer. The qualities demonstrated on the front propelled him after the war to the Leaf Military Academy of the Soviet General Staff. Here he stood out with remarkable results that brought him to the attention of GRU, the Soviet military espionage. He was recruited, and after further training was sent, in 1951, in his first external internship to the United Nations. For nearly 25 years, the Soviet military intelligence officer had served as the United States’ most trusted resource on the Soviet military, providing reams of intelligence and becoming a legend in the process. Polyakov accepted the "collaboration" with the American security services, being two versions for which he allegedly betrayed. One, GRU would not have agreed to give him $ 300 in financial aid to operate on his child, and that upset him. Second, he would have lost confidence in the Soviet Union. Therefore, he mercilessly sold more than 40 fellow residents to the Americans. Some were imprisoned, others shot or killed. Such a nice guy.
You knew his personally? That’s quite a bit of data. Is it available freely online?
@@deoglemnaco7025 Yes, it is online. Each party will paint the picture they want. You know, if they fight for us they are freedom fighters but if they fight against us they are terrorists.
@@VSP4591 ohhhhhhhhhh I thought you were bringing our some new info
@@deoglemnaco7025 No. The story is well known and available on the net.
@@VSP4591 OK
Just shows how incompetent the CIA is.
I salute these American warriors second to none.🇺🇸🇺🇸
Did Ames expose Oleg Giordievsky?
Yes, almost got him killed 😠
There is one problem with what she's saying. The people that you consider enemies have families as well. And we feel the loss and the pain as much as the family members of your assets do. Remember that when Vicky Nudelman decides to send you after my brother again.
Aldrich Ames is right in one point. He is not different from the Soviet double agents he betrayed who are also traitors in their countries. Yet, Sandy cherishes their memories here.
Nah, fuck him. He was a piece of shit with no concept of the team he was supposed to be on. Privileged blue blood fuck with no concept of what was at stake in fighting the evil empire.
Agreed. Ames had no sense of morals or ideals. There's a psychological term but it escapes me at the moment. One thing that's not mentioned in any of these interviews is Ames' intention to be caught. Consider that he paid for that half-million dollar house in cash. What idiot would do that who didn't want to be caught?
As a CIA officer, he would be intimately familiar with how that would look. What Federal government employee could afford to pay for a $540k house in *cash* in 1980's dollars? The list would be very small. Under any conditions, he would have been acutely aware that the purchase would draw attention. And yet he did it. And then there was his choice of car and expensive, flamboyant custom-tailored suits. These were not the choices of someone who was trying to keep a low profile.
At the end of the day, fuck him. He was, and still is nothing more than a stinking, revolting piece of shit to this day.
No, there is nothing that Aldrich Ames is right about. The people he betrayed were acting from a basis of morality. Aldrich Ames acted from a *lack* of morality. There is a difference, and it's disturbing that you can't recognize that.
Too bad for you that you are disturbed.
agreed.
Ms. S Grimes must admit she is a bit late after severe damage done by Aldrich Aimes, the real credit could be shared during 1985 after losing the main asset? Agency must alerted n begins internal audit?
Instead of the video being touted as the women who became spy hunters , it should be titled " the cia -twenty years of incompetence "
20:01 4 agents lost in 4 months