EX-CIA WORKER INDICTED ON 18 ESPIONAGE COUNTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000504650039-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 9, 2012
• Sequence Number: 39
• Publication Date: August 7, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/09 :CIA-RDP90-009658000504650039-3
ARTICLE APP~AREO
ON PAGE A _A
WASHINGTON POST
7 August 1985
Es-CIA Worker Indicted
~n 18 Es ion e
p
Ghanaian Boyfriend Accused of 8 Charges
By Caryle Murphy
w Ao.e s~ wriest
A former CIA employe and her
Ghanaian boyfriend, who were ar-
rested July 10, were indicted yes-
terday on espionage charges by a
federal grand jury in Alexandria.
The 18-count indictment of Shar-
on M. Scranage, who served in a
covert capacity for the CIA in
Ghana from May 1983 to May
1985. alleges that she disclosed
classified information, which includ-
ed details about a planned couF at-
tempt by dissidents against the
Ghanaian government.
In addition, it charges that she
gave the identities d 11 CIA infor-
mants and five CU1 employes to her
former boyfriend, Michael Agbotui
Soussoudis.
Soussoudia was charged yester-
day in a separate eight-count indict-
ment that alleges he sought infor-
mation from Scranage abaft
Ghanaians working with the CIA
and about dissident groups opposed
to Ghana's leader, Flight Lt. Jerry
Rawlings.
Soussoudis, 39, who is a first
cousin of Rawlings, was charged
with espionage, conspiracy to cony
mit espionage, receiving classified
information and conspiracy to re-
ceive classified informatia~. He has
been held without bond sirKx his
arrest.
Scranage, 29, was charged with
espionage, conspiracy to commit
espionage, disclosing the identities
of U.S. intelTigpKx aBents,~coospir?
acy to diacloee claesi8ad iMorma-
tion and disck~eing classified infor-
mation.
Scranage was rekoised to her
parents' custody. shortly after her
arrest when they put up their famity-
home in King George, Va., in order
to segue a =25,000 bor+d.
The espionage charges carry a
ma~omatn penslty of life imprison-
ment.
The indictment against Scranage
alkgrn flat she told Soussoudis,
whom she dated steadily daring
1983, and then again from January
to May of 1985. the identities of the
chief of the CIA station in Ghana,
two CIA communicators and the
soon-to-arrive deputy chief of the
CIA station. She did thin knowing
"that the United States was taking
affirmative measures to conceaY'
the relationships of these people
with the CIA, the indictment al-
legd.
Scranage, who had "top secret"
ckaranoe for her job as an opera-
tions-support assistant, took short-
hand notes from the classified files
in the CIA aaffice to provide Sour
soudis with information about
"Ghanaian dissident activity and
details of a plam~ed coup by such
dissidents," according to the indict-
ment.
Scranage also allegedly provided
Soussoudis with CIA information
about a request by the Ghanaian
government for arms from Libya,
the indictment alleges.
Before her return to the United
States in May. Scranage met with a
BItiIABON 1K. 8CIRANAGS
... eJraehi ak-ss wits boyfriend
t~igb-ranking intelligence officer of
Ghana who iostruded her to gather
additional information about
Ghanaian dissidenb from CIA fik:s
at its headquarters in McLean, the
indicxment atlegea.
At this nfeetulg on May 24,
Scranage was given a carved wood-
en stool and a carved ivory elephant
tusk as gifts from the official, the
indictment continues.
Scranage's alleged activities
were detected by CIA officials when
she was given a polygraph during a
routine debriefing after her return
to the United States in May, ac-
cording to sources familiar with the
investigation, which k~ to her ar-
rest.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/09 :CIA-RDP90-009658000504650039-3