Retired US colonel ‘shared military secrets on dating site’

A US AIR FORCE employee has been charged with sharing military secrets on a dating website with a person who claimed to be a woman living in Ukraine.

David Franklin Slater, 63, who was arrested on Saturday, works in a civilian role having previously held a senior position at US Strategic Command (Stratcom), which oversees the United States’ nuclear missile arsenal.

Prosecutors say that he was described as “my secret informant” by the person on the website and illegally transmitted documents that “could be used to the injury of the United States”.

The retired US Army lieutenant colonel, who held a top secret security clearance at Stratcom, attended classified briefings on the war in Ukraine between February and April 2022 – around the start of Russia’s invasion – according to charging documents.

Prosecutors say Mr Slater, who lives in Nebraska, then sent classified information to someone who claimed to be a woman living in Ukraine.

According to the documents, the two communicated via email and through the online messaging platform of an unnamed foreign dating website.

Mr Slater was asked in online conversations about US national defence secrets, added prosecutors, who also revealed alleged messages sent by the person on the dating site in 2022.

“Dear, what is shown on the screens in the special room?? It is very interesting,” read one of the messages, sent on March 11.

“You are my secret informant love! How were your meetings?” the person wrote four days later.

Western support for Ukraine, including the supply of weapons, was a topic of particular interest.

“Sweet Dave, the supply of weapons is completely classified, which is great!” read one message sent on April 12.

Mr Slater was also asked to provide information on Nato.

“Beloved Dave, do Nato and Biden have a secret plan to help us?” Mr Slater was asked. “You are my secret agent. With love.”

“Dave, I hope tomorrow Nato will prepare a very ‘unpleasant surprise’ for Putin! Will you tell me?”

Mr Slater faces one charge of conspiracy to disclose national defence information and two charges of unauthorised disclosure of national defence information.

He faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted on all charges. He was due to appear in court in Nebraska yesterday.