CIA Leaker Josh Schulte, a former CIA computer specialist, was sentenced to 40 years for exposing government hacking tools and possessing child pornography. Schulte’s comparison of a New York City jail to Nazi concentration camps outraged the judge, who sentenced him.
Former CIA Leaker Josh Schulte Sentenced to 40 Years
At the sentencing hearing, Schulte called the jail’s dangerous inmate unit “New York City’s very own Auschwitz” and “something only the SS could come up with.” Schulte’s comparison of his conditions to the Third Reich offended the judge.
CIA Leaker Josh Schulte, 35, was convicted of providing government secrets to WikiLeaks and having child pornography. Schulte did not admit guilt despite his extensive hearing statement. He was convicted in July 2022 for the largest CIA leak in history, when WikiLeaks published CIA material in 2017. The released files showed how U.S. intelligence agencies hack cellphones and other gadgets to spy on foreign enemies.
Schulte’s lack of contrition and comparison to Nazi victims offended Judge Jesse M. Furman. The judge stressed that Schulte’s release of official secrets threatened national security, but he saw no evidence that it killed anyone. CIA Leaker Josh Schulte received a 40-year sentence instead of life.
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CIA Leaker Josh Schulte: Political Witch Hunt
CIA Leaker Josh Schulte was convicted in September 2023 of holding over 3,000 videos of child sexual abuse. In 2022, Schulte represented himself, calling the charges a “political witch hunt.” U.S. Attorney for the Southern District Damian Williams said Schulte violated his country by committing espionage and horrific crimes, guaranteeing him 40 years in prison.
The judge emphasized that Schulte’s terrible Brooklyn prison conditions were caused by his attempts to leak more sensitive government material after his detention. The judge stressed Schulte’s heinous crimes and rejected his comparison of the jail to Nazi camps.