Anastasia Ryabokon16:16, 06.10.26

2 min.27

80-year-old August Hanning was detained on suspicion of espionage.

A major spy scandal is unfolding in Germany . The former head of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), which is responsible for foreign intelligence, has been detained on suspicion of espionage. August Hanning, 80, may be charged with attempted treason and disclosure of state secrets, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office announced . 

Hanning headed the department for seven years, from 1998 to 2005, and then held the post of State Secretary in the German Ministry of the Interior.

In Bavaria, 64-year-old Manfred D., who previously managed Hanning’s office and continued to work for the BND until the spring of 2026, was also arrested. The prosecutor’s office clarified that, starting in the spring of 2010, he had been bribing his former boss with highly classified documents. According to German media, these included materials on Iran’s nuclear program and the Russian military, as well as information from foreign partner intelligence agencies. In total, Hanning received approximately 2,000 documents.

The exact country they may have been working for has not yet been officially announced. Possible theories include Russia or China. The Guardian notes that after leaving the service, Hanning consulted on security matters and maintained contacts in both countries, including with government agencies.

Journalists write that he may have had a financial motive. According to The Guardian, Hanning had been experiencing serious financial problems in recent years, and part of his pension was frozen due to the bankruptcy of a Baltic bank, where he served on the supervisory board.

(C)UNIAN 2026