Smith-Leung spy ring has tie to Lawrence Livermore

Washington Post ^ | April 11, 2003 | Dan Eggen and Susan Schmidt

[bonesmccoy]

Ex-FBI Agent Resigns Post at Nuclear Weapons Lab Officials Examine Link to Spy Case

One of two retired FBI agents linked to an emerging Chinese spy scandal yesterday resigned his post as a senior counterintelligence official at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which stripped him of his security clearances and launched an investigation of his nine-year tenure.

William Cleveland Jr., who has been head of security at the nuclear weapons research facility in Livermore, Calif., since retiring from the FBI in 1993, is referred to anonymously in FBI affidavits unsealed Wednesday in the espionage-related case that has resulted in the arrests of another former agent, James J. "J.J." Smith, and Los Angeles socialite Katrina M. Leung.

(snip)

The court papers reveal that Cleveland admitted having a sexual relationship with Leung from 1988 until he retired in 1993, and that the intermittent affair resumed in 1997 and 1999. He maintained the relationship even after discovering that Leung had unauthorized contact in 1991 with the Chinese intelligence service, court documents say.

Cleveland immediately alerted Smith to his suspicions about Leung, but did not notify FBI officials, the documents show.

Cleveland had security clearances that provided him access to classified information, first at the FBI and later at Livermore, home to some of the most sensitive U.S. atomic secrets, according to court documents and officials.

(snip)

The revelations of Leung's ties to Cleveland and the Livermore nuclear weapons facility indicate another area of concern for law enforcement investigators, who already are investigating Leung's alleged theft of FBI intelligence data, including a 1997 secret FBI memorandum on Chinese fugitives; two directories of FBI personnel; and a telephone list related to an espionage investigation of a former TRW employee who pleaded guilty to passing secret information to China.

One incident cited by investigators occurred in November, when the FBI used a clandestine warrant to search Leung's luggage before she flew to China. According to the court papers, agents discovered a fax from Smith and pictures of six former FBI agents; the items were gone on Leung's return.

Leung, who is being held without bond, is accused of serving as a double agent for the People's Republic of China who passed classified information to the government there. Smith, who has been released on bond, had recruited Leung to spy for the United States but is charged with giving her access to large amounts of classified material during a 20-year sexual relationship. Both face maximum 10-year sentences if convicted, and authorities have said more charges are possible.

(snip)

FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III told lawmakers yesterday that he is confident the Leung case "is an isolated event."

The nation's intelligence community is assessing not only what damage could have been done by Leung passing on classified information to the Chinese government, but also whether voluminous information about China that she provided as an FBI intelligence "asset" is flawed or inaccurate, officials said.

Among the issues Leung may have given or obtained information about is the Chinese government's suspected attempt to influence U.S. political races in 1996 through illegal political contributions. Smith was the FBI's contact for fundraiser Johnny Chung, a central figure in the Democratic fundraising scandal who agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors after pleading guilty to charges of tax evasion and violating campaign laws.

(snip)

Leung is a well-known Republican activist in Los Angeles, who, with her husband, contributed $27,000 to the GOP and its candidates over the past decade.

In 1997, Leung, then president of the Los Angeles-Guangzhou Sister City Association, came to the defense of California businessman Ted Sioeng, a major target of the fundraising inquiries. She was quoted in the Los Angeles Times as saying that reports that Sioeng might be working for China were "nonsense."

"If China needed a good agent, why would it turn to someone who doesn't know the United States and doesn't speak English well?" Leung asked. "If there is one criticism I can make of him, it is that he got himself in the limelight for so long that he attracted . . . rumors and speculation."

[bonesmccoy]

It's enough to make you sick, isn't it?

Here Freepers have been yelling about these leaks and holes for 5 years.

Is there any doubt why the FBI was targetting "conservatives" with attack during the Cliton Administration?

Is this is only "coincidence"...???

NOT!

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[bonesmccoy]

please ping others to list thread.

Here's my take on these increasing revelations of PLA/PRC ties to the campaign donation processes:
1. Lying for 20 years is nothing new to foreign agents
2. This Katrina Leung must really get around.
3. Her husband needs investigation... what is his name and what does he do?
4. Who is paying off people in LA to seal this case from investigation for 20 years? Is Smith just a fall guy?
5. Apply "treason" charges during this time of war.
6. Ashcroft needs to extradite and deport to hold individuals accountable

If she is actually innocent, who is planting this info. If she is not actually involved, then you would look for someone to be planting data and faking stuff to tie scandal to the other political party. This woman seems to have ties to both parties, suggesting that she fits the mold of a double agent quite well.

[bonesmccoy]

correction: Please ping others to THIS thread.

[Cicero]

Leung is a well-known Republican activist in Los Angeles, who, with her husband, contributed $27,000 to the GOP and its candidates over the past decade.

Permit me to doubt that these double agents were more than peripherally connected to the Republicans as part of their cover. But I don't suppose we can expect the Washington Post to mention Democrat connections.

[Registered]

Notra, any background on this guy?

[bonesmccoy]

In a diff thread, there was information that Leung was part of the board of a World Affairs Council, where she was interactive with people like Michael Eisner and Eli Broad.

[bonesmccoy]

who's the husband of Leung... he could be the main PRC agent. His company could be the front.

[TheSpottedOwl]

I wonder if he is her husband in the strict sense of the word. Why would he tolerate her affairs?

Of course that's the least of it. The real question is how much info did Leung give away to the Chinese?

[Republicus2001]

was this the same woman involved with the Al Gore/Los Angeles Budhhist Temple shakedown, etc..? jusy wondering...aahh let's see now...

[SuziQ]

Do any of these folks have any connection to the folks at Los Alamos who were suspected of spying for the Chinese?

[Republicus2001]

Her husband needs investigation... what is his name and what does he do?

I do believe he's a professor at UCLA

[Republicus2001]

real good question here, she may have been a triple mole

[Republicus2001]

In a diff thread, there was information that Leung was part of the board of a World Affairs Council, where she was interactive with people like Michael Eisner and Eli Broad.

She was also an attendee at LA Mayor Jim Hahn recent big junket to Asia

[mabelkitty]

Paging Mr. Ridge, Paging Mr. Ridge - need wiretaps and data mining in the Clinton aisle of the FBI.

[bonesmccoy]

Yeah, that's what I was wondering about.

The University of California has controlling authority over both Livermore and Alamos.

There has to be a connection.

[bonesmccoy]

Is he a science prof?

[Cicero]

I think another thread mentioned Johnny Chung as well, but I wasn't paying close enough attention to remember what the exact connection was.

[Cicero]

Here's an extract from that earlier thread on this Chinese spy ring:

"Smith, who worked for the FBI for 30 years, was involved in the investigation into whether China tried to funnel money into the 1996 U.S. elections in a bid to gain influence.

"Smith worked with Democratic fund-raiser Johnny Chung, who cooperated with the FBI and pleaded guilty to charges stemming from his admission that he received $300,000 from Chinese intelligence officials to influence congressional campaigns."

[bonesmccoy]

Yes, the other story from yesterday stated that FBI Agent Smith KNEW Johnny Chung and was responsible for the Johnny Chung/Buddhist Temple donation investigation.

It looks like the new FBI structure may be holding their own people accountable for the indiscretions of the prior admin.