A tale of love, lies, and legal oversights unfolded as a U.S. Air Force employee sent sensitive information to someone who claimed to be a woman living halfway across the globe from him.
The man was arrested on Saturday for allegedly disclosing sensitive national defense information, including details related to Russia’s war with Ukraine, on a foreign dating platform.
David Franklin Slater, 63, was adoringly called “secret informant love,” “Sweet Dave,” and “secret agent” by the romantic interest, who claimed to be a woman living in Ukraine.
A retired Army lieutenant colonel, David most recently worked as a civilian Air Force employee assigned to United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), which is responsible for nuclear deterrence and nuclear command and control. David had top security clearance when he found the online match, who was identified as a co-conspirator in official documents.
While working for STRATCOM in Nebraska, David flirted dangerously close with national security by providing information to his match within the murky chatroom of a foreign dating app.
David Franklin Slater was adoringly called “secret informant love,” “Sweet Dave,” and “secret agent” by the romantic interest
David attended top secret briefings on Russia’s war against Ukraine while his digital romance seemingly bloomed on the dating app with the co-conspirator. The pair began talking sometime in February 2022 and continued exchanging texts until around April.
Taking over-sharing to a whole new level, David’s texts were peppered with sensitive information that was classified as secret by the U.S. intelligence community. He discussed Russia’s war on Ukraine on the dating app and was regularly asked by the unnamed love interest about his access to national defense information.
“Dear, what is shown on the screens in the special room?? It is very interesting,” read one message to David from March 2022.
“Beloved Dave, do NATO and Biden have a secret plan to help us?” Dave was asked in another message.
The co-conspirator pushed David to relay sensitive information, calling him “my secret informant.”
“Dave, it’s great that you get information about [Specified Country 1] first. I hope you will tell me right away? You are my secret agent. With love,” said one message.
Another March 2022 message to David read, “American Intelligence says that already 100% of Russian troops are located on the territory of Ukraine. Do you think this information can be trusted?”
“How were your meetings? Successfully?” also appeared in the co-conspirator’s messages to David. A separate message said, “You have a job in the Operations Center today, I remember, I’m sure there is a lot of interesting news there?”
In one message, the co-conspirator expressed glee over finding out a bit of news from David before it was covered by her local news outlets.
“By the way, you were the first to tell me that NATO members are traveling by train and only now (already evening) this was announced on our news. You are my secret informant love!” the message said.
The match on the dating app claimed to be a woman living in Ukraine, and they exchanged texts with David for about two months
David had also allegedly informed the purported Ukrainian woman about U.S. officials planning a trip to Kyiv around mid-April 2022. Lo and behold, the message wound up aligning with the visit of Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Victoria Spartz to Ukraine, according to the New York Post.
“My sweet Dave, thanks for the valuable information, it’s great that two officials from the USA are going to Kyiv,” the match on the dating app said.
The trail of messages between David and the mystery match also included details about weapon shipments to Ukraine and other classified National Defense Information (NDI), officials said.
The match on the dating app regularly asked David “to provide her with sensitive, non-public, closely held and classified NDI and called Slater in their messages her ‘secret informant love’ and her ‘secret agent.’ In response to these requests, Slater indeed provided classified NDI to her, including regarding military targets and Russian military capabilities relating to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” read a Monday statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Quoted text messages supported the claim, including one from the co-conspirator to David that said, “It’s great that you get information about [Specified Country 1] first. I hope you will tell me right away? You are my secret agent. With love.”
“Sweet Dave, the supply of weapons is completely classified, which is great!” read another message to David.
One message also hints at an unpleasant “surprise” for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Dave, I hope tomorrow NATO will prepare a very unpleasant ‘surprise’ for Putin! Will you tell me?” said the match from the dating app.
The trail of messages between David and the mystery woman on the dating app also included details about weapon shipments to Ukraine
David, who was arrested Saturday, is facing charges of conspiring to transmit and transmitting classified information relating to the NDI. He could spend 10 years in prison if convicted.
The Monday statement from the U.S. Department of Justice included comments from Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
“As alleged, Mr. Slater, an Air Force civilian employee and retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, knowingly transmitted classified national defense information to another person in blatant disregard for the security of his country and his oath to safeguard its secrets,” Matthew said. “The Department of Justice will seek to hold accountable those who knowingly and willfully put their country at risk by disclosing classified information.”
“Certain responsibilities are incumbent to individuals with access to Top Secret information. The allegations against Mr. Slater challenge whether he betrayed those responsibilities,” said U.S. Attorney Susan Lehr for the District of Nebraska. “We look forward to continuing our work with the FBI and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations to ensure the safety of our country.”
Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the FBI Omaha Field Office spoke about how the country is put at risk when people violate the trust put in them.
“The FBI investigates those who choose to illegally use their access to classified information to put our national security at risk,” said Eugene. “When people violate the trust given to them to safeguard our nation’s intelligence, they put our country at risk. We will continue working shoulder to shoulder with our partners to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution by safeguarding our country’s classified information.”
People online were baffled at how the retired Army lieutenant colonel may have gotten cat-fished
