EX-AGENT OF F.B.I. TELLS OF A SPY CASE 'FANTASY'

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000201350020-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 19, 2012
• Sequence Number: 20
• Publication Date: June 14, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/01/19: CIA-RDP90-00965R000201350020-2
ART)CLE VI NEW YORK TIMES
ON PA"E _. _ 14 June 1985
Ex-Agent of F.B.I. Tells
Of a Spy Case `Fantasy'
scheduled later.
The Ogorodnikos have denied they
were spying Mrs. Ogorodnikov, 35
"just sort of came with the territory."
Mr. Miller, the first F.B.I. agent ac-
cused of spying, continued today to
give details of his affair with the Soviet
emigre, Svetlana Ogorodnikov, whom
he said he had hoped to develop into a
valued informer for the bureau.
Mr. Miller was dismissed by the bu-
reau last fall and is now accused of con-
spiracy to commit espionage with Mrs.
Ogorodnikov and her husband, Niko-
lay, through the passing of secret intel-
ligence to the Soviet Union. Mr. Miller,
48 years old, is testifying for he third
day as a witness for the Government at
the Ogorodnokovs' trial in Federal Dis-
trict court here. His own trial will be
By JUDITH CUMMIINGS
Special to The New York Times
ES J 13 Richard Mr Miller said today that "part of
L
'I'm Not Proud of That'
Mr. Miller admitted that he had
skimmed $500 from the F.B.I. money
he was to have paid an elderly inform-
er, and got away with it because "being
an elderly lady, she didn't see that
well."
He admitted taking for his own use a
LOS ANGE
__ W. Miller testified today that he was my motivation" for getting involved
acting out "a James Bond kind of fan. with Mrs. Ogorodnikov was that he
tasy" last year when, as an agent of the wanted to redeem himself.
Federal Bureau of Investigation, he be. "I wanted to improve my status with
came sexually involved with a Russian my fellow employees because I didn't
woman now accused of being a Soviet feel I had much respect," he said. He
spy. The relationship, Mr. Miller said, said that from the date of his second
heard reports of a remark by Secretary
of Defense Caspar W. Weinberger that
convicted spies should executed. Judge
Kenyon's instruction came after law-
yers for Mrs. Ogorodnikov complained
that the comment was very "prejudi-
cial" to their case.
One of the four on the jury panel who
heard the report said he thought the
comment was "pretty irresponsible
Mr. Miller's testimony today came
after earlier tough questioning by the
prosecution in which Mr. Miller, who is
married and has eight children, admit-
ted that by the time he met Mrs. Ogo-
rodnikov last May he had a history of
philandering and had been excom-
municated from the Morman church
for. adultery.
'Minimally Acceptable'
meeting, on May 30, 1984, with Mrs. check for $113 from his wife's grand-
Ogorodnikov, who he said had con- mother, adding, "I'm not proud of
tacted him offering information on the that." Asked if he had taken it because
Soviet emigre community and had as- he needed the money he replied, "not
serted she had contacts in the K.G.B., really" but did not elaborate.
the Soviet intelligence agent, he had. He admitted receiving "less than
thought, "She could be a virtual gold $1,000" from a private investigator
mine." I named Larry Grayson, to whom he fur-
"If I could pull this off," Mr. Miller nished information from the the bureau
k
ment I'd come out a hero."
He said he had not thought about
whether he might be compromised by
Mrs. Ogorodnikov and recruited as a
SPY.
He Told of Money Obsession
In testimony Wednesday, Mr. Miller
conceded that two weeks before his ar-
rest he had told Marta Williams, an-
years old, has asserted that she thought other woman with whom he was having
she was helping the bureau in dealing an affair, that he was "almost obsessed
with Mr. Miller. with the idea of making money."
Juror Cautioned by Judge "I don't deny saying it," Mr. Miller
said under questioning by an assistant
Judge David V. Kenyon today cau- United States attorney, Bruce G. Mer-
tioned jurors to "avoid" news accounts ritt. "I just don't think it's an accurate
of other spy cases after learning that statement."
two jurors and two alternate jurors had I Mr. Miller said he knew it was "im-
bureau job for financial gain and had
stolen money from a family member
and from an elderly woman who was a
bureau informer. Mr. Miller repeat-
edly denied, however, that he had been
having any significant financial prob-
lems. ,
proper" for him to have sex with a bu-
reau informer, which is how Mrs. Ogo-
rodnikov has characterized herself,
and said he did not report the incident
to his supervisor.
"I was very embarrassed," Mr.
Miller said. The sexual encounter was
"not a bureau activity. It was a stupid
thing to do and you don't tell about the
stupid things you do in life."
'Yellow Light of Caution'
new such
verifications. He said he
conduct was not permitted.
"I cared, I was just stupid," he said.
Mr. Merritt asked him is he had done it
because he needed the money and he
replied, "not particularly."
He said, however, that he had dis-
cussed his first meeting with Mrs. Ogo?
rodnikov, and her offer of information
about the emigre community, with his
supervisor, Gary Auer, and a fellow
agent, John E. Hunt. They warned him
"to proceed with a yellow light of cau-
tion." he said.
Under Mr. Merritt's questioning. Mr.
He also admitted that he had been Miller gave an elaborate account of his
rated "minimally acceptable" as a bu- financial situation. But he refused to
has ever been bad, desperate," Mr.,
Miller said.
As an bureau agent, he said, "I was
making $50,000 a year, supplemented
by my wife," who sometimes worked
as a teacher. He said the family was
"never destitute."
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/01/19: CIA-RDP90-00965R000201350020-2