Federal authorities have arrested a former U.S. government contractor accused of leaking classified military information involving some of America’s most sensitive special operations capabilities.
James Thomas Ashbacher, a North Carolina resident who previously held a Top Secret security clearance, was taken into custody by the FBI this week following an investigation into the alleged unauthorized disclosure of national defense materials.
An unsealed federal indictment charges Ashbacher with unlawfully transmitting and retaining national defense information, along with theft of government property.
The allegations involve classified videos, military tactics and specialized equipment connected to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
According to the Department of Justice, Ashbacher worked for a private company providing security and emergency management services at the military installation from approximately 2021 until March 19, 2024.
His position required a Top Secret clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information, granting him access to highly sensitive government materials.
Prosecutors allege that Ashbacher abused that access by photographing and removing classified military materials without authorization.
The information, classified at the SECRET level, allegedly included videos and photographs showing sensitive military operations.
Instead of keeping the materials secure, authorities claim Ashbacher uploaded them to a social media platform, where other users later redistributed the information to another site.
But investigators uncovered something particularly revealing.
According to court documents, Ashbacher allegedly sent a private message on February 2, 2024, asking another user to remove references to sensitive information.
He reportedly suggested taking the posts down and waiting until his government contract ended before sharing them again.
“Just trying to save my ass,” Ashbacher allegedly wrote.
He also acknowledged that other users had probably already saved the material and described his attempt to remove it as damage control.
“It was fun while it lasted,” he added, according to the indictment.
The following day, Ashbacher allegedly deactivated his social media account.
Federal investigators say the leaked material was far from ordinary military footage.
The indictment describes approximately nine or ten videos, including six that allegedly exposed unit-specific tactics, operational procedures, call signs and organizational details associated with a specialized military unit.
Another video reportedly contained information involving specialized Alternative Compensatory Control Measures programs.
Other recordings allegedly revealed capabilities that foreign adversaries could study to develop countermeasures against American military operations.
Prosecutors contend that Ashbacher understood the classified nature of the information and knew unauthorized disclosure could damage U.S. national security or benefit foreign governments.
The investigation took another turn on April 30, 2025, when federal agents executed a court-authorized search of Ashbacher’s residence.
During the search, investigators reportedly discovered a military award document bearing SECRET//NOFORN classification markings.
The designation indicates information restricted from disclosure to foreign nationals.
Agents also recovered a night-vision goggle system associated with a specialized Army Special Operations Command unit.
The equipment had previously been reported missing.
According to court records, the night-vision system was worth approximately $40,000.
Prosecutors say Ashbacher admitted taking the equipment.
The discovery expanded the case beyond the alleged online dissemination of classified information to include the suspected theft of valuable military property, per Trending Politics.
Federal officials have not established publicly whether any foreign government obtained the leaked information or used it to compromise American operations.
Nevertheless, the indictment describes a serious potential national security exposure involving sensitive military capabilities.
The FBI’s Charlotte Field Office is leading the investigation, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division.
The arrest brings renewed attention to the risks associated with government contractors who possess high-level security clearances and access to classified military operations.
For Ashbacher, the allegations now carry potentially significant federal criminal consequences.
The charges remain allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
But according to prosecutors, the case involves far more than unauthorized social media posts.
It concerns classified military information, sensitive special operations tactics and government equipment that investigators say should never have left authorized custody.
With the indictment now public and Ashbacher in federal custody, the case moves into the next stage of the criminal justice process.
