Old Spy Stories

We haven’t paid all that much attention to the father-son spy duo Harold and Nathaniel Nicholson, the former residing in jail on a 23-year sentence, while the son, Nathaniel, today pleaded guilty to charges of money laundering related to the payments from the Russian Federation in return for the espionage services provided by his CIA-agent father.  My only question on this one:  why has the Russian government continued to pay its debts to this imprisoned spy?  Who says that Russia doesn’t honor its contractual obligations!  I guess it sends a positive sign to future recruits that Moscow will take care of their families…

“In his guilty plea today, Nathaniel Nicholson acknowledged his role in the ongoing conspiracy with his father to collect money from the Russian federation for his father’s past espionage activity,” said acting U.S. Attorney Kent S. Robinson.

Harold Nicholson also has been charged with the new espionage allegations and has pleaded not guilty.

“Despite imprisonment, convicted spy Harold Nicholson was able to profit from his previous acts of espionage by continuing to collect money from the Russian federation through his son, Nathaniel James Nicholson,” said Executive Assistant Director Arthur M. Cummings II of the FBI National Security Division.