Former German spy chief arrested on espionage charges. He made at least seven trips to Russia after leaving office.

Former German intelligence chief August Hanning was arrested on Friday on suspicion of espionage and attempted treason, according to Germany's Federal Prosecutor's Office. Hanning, who led the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) from 1998 to 2005, is accused of passing classified information to foreign agents in exchange for money.

The investigation found that Hanning obtained around 2,000 internal BND documents, including sensitive information on Iran's nuclear program and Russian military capabilities. Hanning reportedly communicated with foreign intelligence officers over several years, passing them political information obtained from his former BND colleagues.

He made at least seven trips to Russia between 2015 and 2019, although the purpose of these trips remains unclear. Hanning has faced allegations of ties to Russia since his time in diplomatic work during East Germany, but no concrete evidence has emerged to support these claims. Hanning has also been involved in business ventures in Russia, serving as a consultant for a London consulting firm and working as a mediator in a dispute involving Russian businessmen.