News

USIS Washington File

18 February 2000

Text: U.S. Officials Arrest Cuban-Born INS Employee for Espionage

(Accused had access to classified and sensitive INS files)  (280)

Following is the February 17 Justice Department news release on the
arrest of an INS official on espionage charges:

(Begin text)

OPERATION FALSE BLUE CUBAN SPY CASE

PRESS RELEASE

Hector M. Pesquera Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the Miami Office
of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Robert Wallis
District Director of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service
(INS) Miami, working closely with the Office of Inspector General,
Washington, D.C. announces today the arrest of Mariano Faget, age 54,
place of birth Havana, Cuba, for the federal violation of the
Espionage Act (Communicating National Defense Information to an
Unauthorized Person) and making false statements.

Faget, employed at INS, Miami, as a Supervisory District Adjudication
Officer, holds a "Secret" security clearance at INS. Faget was
responsible for supervising adjudication and naturalization decisions
including requests for political asylum. Due to his position, Faget
had access to classified and sensitive INS files relating to
confidential law enforcement sources and Cuban defectors. Through
sophisticated technical and physical surveillance techniques, the
investigation revealed Faget making unauthorized contacts with Cuban
intelligence officers in Miami and other cities in the United States.

Faget is being held at the Federal Detention Center, Miami, and will
appear in U.S. District Court, Miami at 2:00 P.M. for an initial
appearance hearing.

The FBI and the INS will hold a press conference at the Miami FBI
Office at 10:30 AM, February 18, 2000.

(End text)

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International
Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web
site:usinfo.state.gov)