A Mom and Dad Nuclear Spy Couple Used Sock Codes and Peanut Butter 'Dead Drops'
11 hours ago
- #FBI
- #nuclear_secrets
- #espionage
- Diana Toebbe used spy tradecraft to secretly communicate with her husband Jonathan from prison.
- The couple hid stolen US nuclear secrets in a peanut butter sandwich and a gum wrapper.
- Diana urged Jonathan to plead guilty and claim her innocence, but their letters were intercepted.
- Diana was sentenced to 21 years, while Jonathan received 18 years for espionage.
- The judge noted Diana, a Ph.D. holder, was likely the mastermind behind the espionage plot.
- The couple used Cold War-style dead drops, including a flash drive in a peanut butter sandwich.
- Jonathan, a nuclear engineer, plotted for years to sell nuclear designs to a foreign government.
- The FBI tracked Jonathan, who used encrypted emails and public Wi-Fi to avoid detection.
- Jonathan insisted on using natural cover stories for dead drops to avoid suspicion.