Former BND chief August Hanning has been arrested in Germany on suspicion of espionage, attempted treason and obtaining state secrets
Prosecutors say a former aide supplied him with about 2,000 documents, many classified and meant for internal BND use
Investigators are examining whether Hanning passed intelligence to foreign services, but the recipients have not been publicly identified
Germany’s Ex-Spymaster Arrested: Over 2,000 Secret Files, Foreign Spies And A Shocking Espionage Probe
Former German intelligence chief August Hanning has been arrested on suspicion of treasonous espionage and spying out state secrets after investigators alleged he received thousands of classified documents from a former aide and passed intelligence to foreign intelligence services.
Summary
Germany’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office said on Tuesday that Hanning, who headed the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) from 1998 to 2005, and his former chief of staff, Manfred D, were arrested under warrants issued by an investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice. Searches were also carried out at properties linked to the two men in Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin.
Classified Documents
According to the prosecutors, Hanning and Manfred D allegedly agreed in spring 2010 that the former aide would continuously provide Hanning with valuable intelligence from the BND in return for payment. Hanning was allegedly intended to use the information in his private consulting work.
Investigators said Manfred D subsequently supplied Hanning with about 2,000 documents over several years, “many of which contained classified information” intended exclusively for the BND’s internal use. Some of the documents were connected to intelligence briefings involving senior officials from federal ministries and German security agencies at the Federal Chancellery.
Prosecutors allege that Hanning used some of the classified material to prepare an analysis for an officer from a foreign intelligence service. They said it had not yet been established whether that material ultimately reached the intended recipient.
The former spy chief is also accused of maintaining close contact for several years with a representative of another foreign intelligence service and passing on political information that was partly based on material supplied by Manfred D.
Suspects' Roles
Hanning is suspected of treasonous espionage, spying out state secrets, attempted treason and espionage, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office said. Manfred D faces suspicion of aiding and abetting attempted treason and treasonous espionage.
Manfred D had served as Hanning’s chief of staff during his time as BND president. He later worked as Hanning’s parliamentary assistant when Hanning was state secretary at the Federal Interior Ministry between 2005 and 2009.
He returned to the BND in March 2012 and served as chief of staff to several subsequent BND presidents until March 2026. Investigators said that role gave him continued access to confidential information.
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Investigation
The investigation began after prosecutors searched Hanning’s premises in September 2025 during a separate investigation involving Christina Block and others. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office took over the espionage investigation in early May 2026 and has since worked with the BND and Federal Criminal Police Office.
Hanning and Manfred D are due to appear before the Federal Court of Justice’s investigating judge, who will formally inform them of the allegations and decide whether they should remain in pre-trial detention.
The accusations have not been established in court. The arrests are the latest development in an ongoing investigation into the alleged transfer and use of classified German intelligence material.
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