SBALED IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Holding a Criminal Term Grand Jury Sworn in on May 3, 2018 UNITED STATES OF AI\,IERICA ) JAMES A. WOLFE ) ) ) ) Criminal No.: Violation: INDICTMENT The Grand Jury charges COUNT ONE 18 U.S.C. $ 1001 (False Statement) Case 1:18-cr-00170 Assigned To : Judge Jackson, Ketanji Brown Assign. Date .6f7D018 Description: INDICTMENT At all times relevant to this lndictment, unless otherwise indicated: BACKGROUND 1. Between in or around May 1987 and in or around December 2017, the defendant, JAMES A. WOLFE, was employed as the Director of Security for the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), located within the Hart Senate Office Building, in the District of Columbia. As SSCI Director of Security, WOLFE was responsible for receiving, maintaining, and managing all classified information provided to the SSCI by the Executive Branch of the United States. 2. "Classified information" is information the unauthorized disclosure of which reasonably could be expected to cause identifiable or describable damage to the national security of the United States. The unauthorized disclosure of SECRET information reasonably could be expected to cause serious damage to the national security. The unauthorized disclosure ofTOP SECRET information reasonably could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national securily FBI INI'ESTIGATION 3. Begirming in or around 2017, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), an agency of the Executive Branch of the Unjted States govemment, was conducting a criminal investigation into multiple unauthorized disclosures of classified information to one or more members of the news media ("the FBI Investigation"). 4. It was material to the FBI Iavestigation whether WOLFE had been in contact with any reportem and, if so, who those reporters were, the nature and extent ofthose contacts, and the means by which those contacts occured. 5. On or about October 30, 2017, FBI agents met with WOLFE and informed him that they were investigating the unauthorized disclosure of classified information that had been provided to the SSCI by the Executive Branch of the United States for official purposes. 6. On or about December 15,2017, FBI agents conducted a voluntary, noncustodial interview of WOLFE in the District of Columbia. Prior to questioning, the FBI agents presented WOLFE with a typewritten quostionnaire ("the lnvestigative Questionnaire") which contained blalk lines to check indicating "Yes" or 'No" answers as well as space to provide any requested expianation. FBI agents read the questions in the Investigative Questionnaire aloud to WOLFE and he answered orally and wrote on the document. a. Question 1 of the Investigative Questioruraire read as follows: "Do you understand that you are beingprovided this questionnaire as part ofa criminal investigation being conducted by the FBI[?]" WOLFE stated and checked "Yes," and initialed this answer. b. Question 3 of the Investigative Questioruraire advised WOLFE, "Do you understand making false statements, ora11y or 2 in writing to the FBI in connection with a federal criminal investigation is a violation of law, including but not limited to, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001?" WOLFE stated and checked "Yes," and initialed this answer. c. During the interview, FBI agents showed WOLFE a copy of a news article authored by three reporters, including REPORTER #1, about an individual (referred to herein as "MALE-l), that contained classified information that had been provided to the SSCI by the Executive Branch for official purposes. d. Question 9 of the lnvestigative Questionnaire asked "Have you had any contact with" any ofthose tlree reporters. As to each reporter, WOLFE stated and checked 1\ 0. e. Question 10 of the Investigative Questionnaire asked, "Besides [the three named reporters], do you currently have or had any contact with any other reporters (professional, official, personal)?" Before aaswering this question, WOLFE stated orally to the FBI agents that although he had no official or professional contact with reporters, he saw repoders every day, and so to "feel comfortable" he would check "Yes." He did so, and initialed this answer. f. Question 10 ofthe Investigative Questionnaire further asked, "Ifyes, who and describe the relationship (professional, official, personal)." In the space provided, WOLFE hand wrote "OfEcial - No" and "Professional - No." WOLFE then orally volunteered that he certain-ly did not talk to reporters about anything SSCl-related. FBI agents orally asked WOLFE if he had traveled intemationally with any reporter, gone to a baseball game or to the movies with a reporter, or had weekly or regular electronic 3 communication with a reporter. To each question WOLFE verbally responded 'No." WOLFE then wrote "Personal g. - No" on the hvestigative Questiomaire. Question 11 of the lnvestigative Questionnaire asked, "If yes to question ten, did you discuss or disciose any ofEcial U.S. govemmont information or documents whether classified or unclassified which is the property of the U.S. govemment without express authorization from the owner of the information?" WOLFE stated and checked "No" and initialed this answer. h. WOLFE signed and dated the Investigative Questionnaire next to the following waming: "I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that the foregoing is true and correct." 8. On or about December 15, 2017, after WOLFE signed the Investigative Questiomaire, the FBI agents asked WOLFE about an article written by REPORTER #2 that contained information that had been provided to the SSCi by the Executive Branch for official pulposes. WOLFE denied hrowing about the reporter's sources for the article. After WOLFE stated that he did not know about REPORTER #2's sources, FBI agents confronted WOLFE with pictures showing WOLFE together with REPORTER #2. After behg confionted, WOLFE admitted to the FBi agents that he had lied to them, and that he had engaged in a personal relationship with REPORTER #2 since 2014, but maintained that he (WOLFE) had never disclosed to REPORTER #2 classified information or information that he leamed as Director of Security for the SSCI that was not otherwise publicly available. WOLFE also stated that he never provided REPORTER #2 with news leads. intelligence, or information about non-public SSCI matters. 4 9. During the December 15,2017 interview, WOLFE continued to deny any contact with other reporters and denied providing to any of them classified informafion or fuformation that he leamed as Director of Security for the SSCI that was not otherwise publicly avaiiable. THE DEFENDANT'S COMMUNICATION WITH REPORTERS 10. Despite WOLFE's statements, WOLFE had, in truth, engaged in extensive contact with multiple reporters, including conveying to at least two reporters information about MALE-1. WOLFE used his personal ce1I phone, his SSCl-issued electronic mail accoun! and anonymizing messaging applications, including Signal and WhatsApp, to exchange electronic communications witb reporters. 11. For example, between in or around December 2015 and in or around June 2017, WOLFE and REPORTER #1 communicated at least five times using his SSCI emaii account. 12. in WOLFE regulariy met clandestinely person, and communicated, with REPORTER #2, with REPORTER #3, and with other reporters, in places where the substance of their commulications was mlikely to be detected by others, including secluded areas of the Hart Senate Office Building, restaurants and bars, and private residences. REPORTER #2 i3. During in or around 2013 and in or around 2014, REPORTER #2 was an undergraduate student serving as an intem with a news service in Washington, D.C. 14. Ln approximately December 2013, WOLFE and REPORTER #2began a personal relationship that continued until in or arorurd December 201 7. 15. From in or around mid-2014 through in or around December 2017, REPORTER #2 was employed in Washington, D.C. by several different news organizations covering national security matters, including matters relating to the SSCI. During this period, published dozens ofnews articles about SSCI and its activities. 5 REPORTER #2 16. From in or around mid-2014 through in or around December 2017, WOLFE and REPORTER #2 exchanged tens ofthousands of electronic communications, often including daily texts and phone calls, and they liequently met ir person at a variety of locations ilciuding Hart Senate Office Building stairwells, restaurants, and REPORTER #2's apartment. WOLFE aad REPORTER #2 also communicated with each other tlrough encrypted ceIl phone applications. REPORTER #2 PUBLISHED INFORMATION ABOUT MALE-I A-FTER COMMTJNICATING WITH TIIE DEFENDANT 17. In or around March2017, a particular Executive Branch agency agreed to fumish the SSCI with a specific classified document ("the Classified Documenf') for official purposes. The Classified Document contained both SECRET and TOP SECRET information, including SECRET-level information regarding the ideatity and activities ofthe individual referred to in this Indictment as MALE- 18. 1. On or about March 17,2017,the Classified Document was transported to the SSCI. As Director of Secwity, WOLFE received, maintained, and managed the Ciassified Document on behalf ofthe SSCI. 19. On or about March 17, 2017, WOLFE exchanged 82 text messages with REPORTER #2, and that evening engaged in a 28-miaute phone ca.il with REPORTER #2. 20. On or about Api 3,2017, a news organization published a:r or:.line article, under REPORTER #2's byline, that revealed the identity of MALE-I. a. On or about that same date, both before and after the online news article was published, WOLFE arid REPORTER #2 exchanged approximately 124 electronic communications. b. Approximately 20 minutes after the onlhe news article was published, WOLFE aad REPORTER #2 had a cellphone caII that lasted 7 minutes. 6 c. Thereafter, on or about that date, REPORTER #2 appeared on a national cable television show to discuss REPORTER #2's online news article. Approximately 90 minutes later, WOLFE and REPORTER #2 had a phone call lasting 15 minutes. 21. In or arould December 2017,btt before being interviewed by the FBI, WOLFE sent a text message to REPORTER #2 that included the following: "I've watched your career take off even before you ever had a career in joumalism. . . . I always tried to give you as much information that I could and to do the right thing with it so you could get that scoop before anyone else . . . . I always enjoyed the way that you would pursue a story,like nobody else was doing in my hal1way. I felt like I was part of your excitement and was always very supportive of your career and the tenacity that you exhibited to chase down a good story." REPORTER #3 22. Il or around 2017, REPORTER #3 was employed as a reporter with a news organization in Washinglon, D.C., and was assigned to cover national security matters, including matters relating to the SSCI. 23. Between in or around September 2017 utd continuirig until at least in or around December 2017 , REPORTER #3 and WOLFE regulariy communicated with each other using the anonymizing messaging application Signal, text messages, and teiephone calls. RXPORTER #3 PUBLISIIED INT'ORMATION ABOUT MALE-I THAT WAS DISCLOSED TO HER BY THF'DEFENDANT 24. On or about October 16,2017, WOLFE informed REPORTER #3, using Signal, that he had served MALE-I with a subpoena to appear before the SSCI. 25. On or about October 17 , 2017, REPORTER #3 asked WOLFE, using Signal, to provide REPORTER #3 with MALE-I's contact information, and WOLFE agreed to do so. Later that day, a news organization published a story, under REPORTER #3's byline, reporting that 7 MALE- t had been subpoenaed to testifu by the SSCI, and that MALE-I had been contacted by the news organization for comment. After the story was published, WOLFE congratulated REPORTER #3, using Signal, stating "Goodjob!" and "I'm glad you got the scoop." REPORTER #3 wrote back, using Signal,"Thank you. [MALE-l] isn't pleased, but wouldn't deny that the subpoena was served." 26. On or about October 18, 2011, MALE-1 sent an email to the SSCI, complaining that the news organization had published REPORTER #3's news articie of the previous day, reporting that he had been subpoenaed. 27. On or about October 24,2017, at 7:00 a.m., WOLFE informed REPORTER #3, using Signal, that MALE-1 would testify in closed hearing before the SSCI "this week." At 9:58 a.m., REPORTER #3 sent aa email to MALE-I, asking him to confirm that he would be 'paying a visit to Senate lntelligence staffers this week." At 9:23 p.m., MALE-I sent aa email to the SSCI, forwardirg the email he had received from REPORTER #3, and complaining that the details of his appoarance had been leaked to the press. R-EPORTER #4 28. Il or around 2017, REPORTER #4 was employed as a reporter with a news orgarization in Washington, D.C., and was assigned to cover nationai security matters, including matters relating to the SSCI. 29. Between il or around October 2017 and continuing until at least in or around December 2017, REPORTER #4 and WOLFE regularly communicated with each other using the .r61y111i2ing messaging application Signal, text messages, and telephone calls. I 30. In or around October 2017, WOLFE contacted R-EPORTER #4 using Signal, offering to act as an anon)T nous source. WOLFE specifically cautioned REPORTER #4 to "never use [WOLFE's] name to any of [REPORTER #4's] colleagues or otler news related colieag::es." FALSE STATEMENT 31. On or about December 15,2017, in the District of Columbia, defendant JAMES A. WOLFE did wiiifirlly and knowingly make and representation in a matter withil the a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement jurisdiction of the Executive Branch of the Govemment of the United States, in that the defendant executed a written questionnaire in which he falsely stated and represented to agents ofthe Federal Bureau of lnvestigation that he did not have contact with any reporter, when in truth and in fact, and as he then well knew and believed, WOLFE did have contact with REPORTER #1, REPORTER #3, and REPORTER #4, variously, on multiple occasions from at least in or around December 2015 until at least on or about December 15,2017. (18 U.S.C. $ 1001(a)(2) - False Statement to a Government Agency) 9 COUNTTWO 32. The factual allegations contained in paragraphs 1 tbrough 30 are incorporated herein as if set forth in full. 33. On or about December 15, 2017,nrhe District of Columbia, defendant JAMES A. WOLFE did willfully and knowingly make a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement and representation, in a matter within the jurisdiction of the Executive Braach of the Govemment of the United States, to wit, the defendant falsely stated and represented to agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation that he did not disclose to REPORTER #2 information that he leamed as Director of Security for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that was not otherwise publicly available, when in truth and in fact, and as he then well knew and believed, WOLFE did disclose such information to REPORTER #2, between on or about March 17, 2017, and on or about April 3, 2017 . (18 U.S.C, $ 1001(a)(2) - False Statement to a Government Agency) 10 COT]NT THREE 34. The factual ailegations contained in paragraphs I through 30 are incorporated herein as if set forth in ful1. 35. On or about December 15, 2017, in the District of Columbiq defendant JAMES A. WOLFE did willfully and knowingiy make a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement and representation in a matter within the jurisdiction of the Executive Branch of the Government of the United States, in that the defendant falsely stated and represented to agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation that he did not disclose to REPORTER #3 information that he learned as Dtector of Security for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and that was not otherwise pubiicly available, when in truth ard in fact, and as he then disclose such information to REPORTER #3, during (18 U.S.C. $ 1001(a)(2) - il well knew and believed, WOLFE did or around October 2017. False Statement to a Government Agency) A TRUE BILL FOREPERSON Ses