Former BND chief August Hanning has been arrested on suspicion of espionage, treason and obtaining classified information for a foreign power, German prosecutors say. Authorities also detained former BND official Manfred D., accused of supplying about 2,000 classified documents to Hanning for payment. Prosecutors allege Hanning used classified material to draft an analysis for a foreign service and maintained contact with another, though the countries involved have not been named. The case emerged partly during a separate probe into heiress Christina Block and follows a 2023 treason case involving alleged disclosures to Russia.
Former BND Chief August Hanning Arrested on Suspicion of Espionage and Treason
Agents arrested August Hanning (pictured from 2008) at his home on Tuesday [Getty Images]
August Hanning, who led Germany's foreign intelligence service (the BND) from 1998 to 2005 and later worked as a private consultant, has been arrested on suspicion of espionage, treason and obtaining classified information for a foreign power, the German Federal Prosecutor's Office said.
Investigation Details
Prosecutors allege that Hanning used classified BND material to "draft an analysis" for an officer of a foreign intelligence service and that he maintained close contact with a representative of another foreign service. Investigators have not publicly identified the foreign powers involved.
Police also arrested a former BND employee identified as Manfred D., who is accused of supplying Hanning with roughly 2,000 classified documents in exchange for payment. Manfred D., who served as Hanning's bureau chief and later as chief of staff for subsequent BND leaders between 2012 and 2026, is charged with aiding and abetting attempted treason and treasonous espionage.
"The current findings suggest that, over the years, Manfred D. provided Hanning with approximately 2,000 documents, many of which contained classified information to be used exclusively by the Federal Intelligence Service for internal purposes," prosecutors said.
Prosecutors added that on one occasion Hanning used classified intelligence to prepare an analysis for an officer of a foreign intelligence service, though it is unclear whether the material reached its intended recipient. They also allege Hanning passed on political information based in part on material from Manfred D. to a representative of another foreign intelligence service for several years.
Arrests, Court Appearances and Related Probe
Local media reported Hanning was arrested at his home in Nordwalde, near Münster, while Manfred D. was detained in Bavaria. Hanning is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday and Manfred D. is due to appear on Tuesday.
The alleged possession of BND documents by Hanning reportedly came to light during a separate investigation into heiress Christina Block. Hamburg prosecutors have accused Block of orchestrating the kidnapping of her two youngest children in 2023 amid a custody dispute. Investigators say Hanning was linked to an earlier attempted abduction, an allegation he denies. State criminal police reportedly discovered an electronic storage device containing recent BND documents during that probe.
Context
This case follows another high-profile BND controversy in 2023, when a senior officer, identified as Carsten L., was charged with treason for allegedly passing state secrets to Russia. Prosecutors said Carsten L. shared intelligence on the war in Ukraine and the Wagner mercenary group and allegedly received about €400,000 in return; his trial is ongoing.
The Federal Prosecutor's Office says the investigation into Hanning and Manfred D. is continuing and that further details will be disclosed as the case proceeds.
Help us improve.
