By Isabella Torregiani
4:08am PDT, Jun 13, 2025
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Asif William Rahman, a former CIA analyst, has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for leaking classified documents detailing Israel's planned missile strike on Iran in October 2024.
The ruling came on Wednesday, June 11, months after Rahman pleaded guilty to the charges earlier this year.
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Asif William Rahman had been employed at the CIA since 2016 and held access to highly classified records from the intelligence agency.
While stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on October 17, 2024, Rahman reportedly stole top secret documents in his backpack.
The files outlined Israel's proposed missile response to an earlier Iranian attack.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Rahman brought the documents back home, where he photographed and distributed them to others before destroying evidence.
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"Asif Rahman violated his position of trust by illegally accessing, removing, and transmitting Top Secret documents vital to the national security of the United States and its allies," said Erik Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
"The urgency with which Mr. Rahman was identified, arrested, charged, and prosecuted is a testament to the commitment and professionalism of the investigators and prosecutors who brought him to justice."
Siebert also issued a stark warning: "Those who choose to place their own goals" over the United States will be prosecuted, he said.
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According to prosecutors, the classified material was published on the "Middle East Spectator" Telegram channel and quickly spread across various social media platforms.
As a result, Israel reportedly postponed its planned strike until October 26.
While appearing in court on Wednesday, June 11, Rahman expressed his remorse, saying, "I fully accept responsibility for my conduct last year," according to the
Cincinnati Enquirer. "There was no excuse for my actions."
