Eugene Hasenfus, Key Figure in Iran-Contra Scandal, Passes Away at 84

Fri Dec 05 2025 04:39:46 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Eugene Hasenfus, whose actions helped expose the Iran-Contra affair, died on November 26 after battling cancer. His story spans military service, controversial supply missions, and a dramatic capture in Nicaragua.

Eugene Hasenfus, who became notorious for his role in the Iran-Contra scandal after a CIA-backed plane he was aboard was shot down over Nicaragua, died at the age of 84. Born in 1941, he served as a Marine in Vietnam before engaging in private aviation. After his capture in 1986, Hasenfus claimed CIA involvement in his supply missions, prompting congressional investigations into covert operations. He faced legal troubles following his return to the U.S. but is survived by his four children and eight grandchildren.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Eugene Hasenfus, who played a key role in unraveling the Iran-Contra affair after his CIA-backed supply plane was shot down over Nicaragua in 1986, has died.

Hasenfus died on Nov. 26 in Menominee, Michigan, after a nine-year battle with cancer, according to his obituary from the Hansen-Onion-Martell Funeral Home in Marinette, Wisconsin. He was 84.

Born Jan. 22, 1941, in Marinette, Hasenfus served with the Marines in Vietnam and later had a private career in aviation before becoming a key figure in the Iran-Contra scandal.

In 1981, President Ronald Reagan authorized the CIA to support the anti-communist guerrilla force known as the Contras, aiming to counter the Sandinista government in Nicaragua. After Congress cut off military assistance to the Contras in 1984, secret supply operations were ramped up.

The scheme unraveled when Hasenfus’s plane was shot down in October 1986. He parachuted into the jungle but was captured and charged with crimes, including terrorism.

Following his capture, he revealed CIA supervision over the flights, which led to investigations. Convicted of arms delivery charges, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison but was pardoned by Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega shortly after.

Hasenfus returned to Wisconsin, but his life took various turns, including an unsuccessful lawsuit related to the Iran-Contra deals and a conviction for lewd behavior in 2003. He is survived by his four children and eight grandchildren.