Abraham Teklu Lemma, a 54-year-old American citizen born in Ethiopia, admitted to transferring dozens of classified documents and photographs to senior Ethiopian officials over an extended period. The former US contractor worked at multiple government agencies including the State Department, Justice Department, and National Reconnaissance Office before his arrest in August 2023. According to the Department of Justice, Lemma systematically removed sensitive material from secure facilities, sometimes copying information by hand and carrying it out of buildings, while also using his position as an IT administrator to access and extract electronic intelligence files.
The transferred materials included satellite imagery and military activity details shared through encrypted communications with Ethiopian government officials between 2021 and his arrest. Prosecutors indicated that the information concerned an armed conflict within Ethiopia and that Ethiopian officials subsequently used the supplied intelligence in military operations. Lemma explicitly stated in communications that he hoped the information would enable Ethiopia’s military to identify and kill paramilitary fighters, at one point urging an official to deploy drone resources. One message from December 2021 reflected his stated desire to eliminate opposition forces to achieve peace within the country.
The case has highlighted how sensitive American intelligence reached Ethiopian authorities during the nation’s devastating 2020-22 civil war, which resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of displaced persons. The conflict saw widespread documented allegations of atrocities, including massacres, sexual violence, and civilian attacks. A peace agreement signed in November 2022 initially halted hostilities, though fighting resumed in September after both parties claimed the other had violated the agreement terms.
Lemma pleaded guilty to conspiring to transmit national defense information to a foreign government and faces up to 22 years in prison under his plea agreement. Government officials characterized his actions as a serious breach of trust and national security. Sentencing is scheduled for April 14, 2027.
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