News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Maryland nuclear engineer and spouse arrested on espionage-related charges. Parent comment

Re:Maryland nuclear engineer and spouse arrested on espionag... by willis936 on Sunday October 10, 2021 @09:57PM (#28823832)
Don't you need standing in order to bring fraud charges? If so, you would have to be admitting that you solicited someone for government secrets, which is very illegal.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Maryland nuclear engineer and spouse arrested on espionag... by caf on Monday October 11, 2021 @02:04AM (#28825235)
The state always has standing to prosecute crimes, regardless of whether the victim wants them to or not.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Maryland nuclear engineer and spouse arrested on espionag... by jrochkind1 on Sunday October 10, 2021 @09:59PM (#28823843)
I mean, I guess it's not illegal if you were the FBI, which is what happened here? But yes, it seems a stretch.

This sounds increasingly like a Coen brothers movie though, yeah.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Maryland nuclear engineer and spouse arrested on espionag... by perl4ever on Sunday October 10, 2021 @10:39PM (#28824063)
The complaint was filed by FBI Special Agent Justin Van Tromp. That definitely sounds like a character in a Coen brothers movie.

Something I've always wondered is, why are they all special agents? Is there some place they put all the ordinary agents? Are they the ones that just spend their whole careers in cubicles?

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Maryland nuclear engineer and spouse arrested on espionag... by dragonwriter on Sunday October 10, 2021 @10:43PM (#28824078)
> Something I've always wondered is, why are they all special agents?

Because that's the job title?

> Is there some place they put all the ordinary agents?

Training. That is, the lowest rank on the FBI agent career path is apparently “New Agent Trainee” and the next step up is “Special Agent”.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Maryland nuclear engineer and spouse arrested on espionag... by pseingatl on Monday October 11, 2021 @04:38AM (#28826133)
FBI, DEA, ATF, Secret Service: they are all "special agents."
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Maryland nuclear engineer and spouse arrested on espionag... by perl4ever on Sunday October 10, 2021 @11:21PM (#28824297)
Ok, moving on...you know what the French call (or called) their nuclear deterrent? "Force de Frappe"!
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Maryland nuclear engineer and spouse arrested on espionag... by jrochkind1 on Monday October 11, 2021 @07:51AM (#28827291)
In Lake Wobegon FBI, all the agents are special.
[ Parent | on HN ]