Former BND chief August Hanning has been arrested by German federal prosecutors on suspicion of espionage, treason and providing classified information to foreign powers.
Hanning, who headed the Federal Intelligence Service from 1998 to 2005, is alleged to have used state secrets to draft an analysis for an unidentified foreign intelligence office and to have maintained contact with a rival spy agency. Prosecutors say he obtained roughly 2,000 classified documents through former BND staffers Manfred D and Mandred D, who are also facing charges for aiding the operation.
Manfred D, Hanning’s former bureau chief, is accused of facilitating the transfer of sensitive material in exchange for payment. Mandred D, who served as chief of staff for later BND leaders, allegedly used his position to access highly confidential files and passed them to Hanning.
Hanning’s arrest came shortly after a separate investigation involving a German heiress and alleged kidnapping of her children, which prosecutors say also uncovered the spy’s possession of sensitive documents. The evidence was found on an electronic storage device during the search.
The case follows a 2023 treason charge against a senior BND officer for allegedly handing war‑zone intelligence to Russia, a scandal that has raised concerns about the security culture within Germany’s intelligence community.
