Married Couple Arrested for Selling Classified Information on Nuclear-Powered Warships
A shocking arrest has been made in Maryland as a married couple is suspected of selling secret information regarding the design of nuclear-powered warships. Jonathan and Diana Toebbe, residents of Annapolis, were taken into custody by the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service in Jefferson County, West Virginia on October 9.
Allegations Against the Toebbes
The allegations suggest that Jonathan Toebbe, a 42-year-old Naval nuclear engineer, along with his 45-year-old wife, Diana, sold information classified as Restricted Data to an undercover FBI agent posing as a representative of a foreign government. The complaint affidavit details that on April 1, 2020, Jonathan Toebbe sent a package to the foreign government containing a sample of Restricted Data and instructions on how to establish a covert relationship to acquire more.
Over the course of several months, Toebbe corresponded with the undercover agent, eventually agreeing to extract more Restricted Data in exchange for a substantial sum of money in crypto-currency. An initial payment of $10,000 was received, followed by a second payment of $20,000 after a dead drop in West Virginia where an encrypted SD card was concealed in a peanut butter sandwich.
Further Allegations and Arrest
A second dead drop took place on August 28, where another SD card was hidden in a pack of chewing gum, resulting in a payment of $70,000 to Jonathan Toebbe. The FBI intervened on October 9 after Toebbe placed a third SD card at a designated location in West Virginia.
The Toebbes now face charges under the Atomic Energy Act and are scheduled to appear in federal court in Martinsburg, West Virginia. This has not only impacted their legal standing but has also led to consequences in their personal lives. Diana Toebbe, a humanities teacher at the Key School in Annapolis, has been suspended from her position following her arrest.
As the investigation continues, the full extent of the Toebbes’ actions and the potential consequences of their actions remain to be seen. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.