Former BND chief August Hanning arrested on treason charges in Germany
German federal prosecutors arrested August Hanning, the former president of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), on Tuesday, June 10, 2026, in Bad Toelz‑Wolfratshausen, on suspicion of treason and espionage.
The arrest follows a statement that Hanning is strongly suspected of passing state secrets to a foreign intelligence service, an act the prosecutors describe as treasonous espionage and attempted treason. A former aide, identified only as Manfred D., was also detained in Steinfurt and charged with aiding and abetting attempted treason and espionage.
Hanning led the BND from 1998 to 2005. According to the prosecutor’s office, the two men allegedly struck a deal in 2010 whereby Manfred D. continuously supplied Hanning with approximately 2,000 classified documents in exchange for payment. The documents were intended for internal BND briefings but were allegedly used by Hanning in private consulting work and to draft an analysis for an officer of a foreign intelligence service.
The foreign service involved has not been identified, and prosecutors have stated that the case is not linked to Russia. They also noted that it remains unclear whether the material actually reached the intended recipient.
The investigation originated from a search of Hanning’s residence conducted in connection with a separate child‑abduction case involving Hamburg businesswoman Christina Block. Prosecutors allege that Hanning and a retired Hamburg police official accepted a contract in 2022 to abduct Block’s children, acting as executives of a security firm.
Both suspects’ homes were searched on the day of the arrests, and evidence related to the alleged transmission of classified documents was reportedly found during those searches.
German authorities have not released further details about the foreign intelligence service or the next steps in the legal process. The case is expected to prompt heightened scrutiny of security protocols within Germany’s intelligence community.
