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American Morning

New Information Revealed in Robert Hanssen FBI Espionage Case

Aired April 05, 2001 - 10:28   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now, we want to focus back on the U.S. and go to Washington, D.C., where we understand there is new news and insight on the Robert Hanssen spy case. And for that let's go to our Jeanne Meserve, who has Kelli Arena with her -- Jeanne?

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, alleged spy Robert Hanssen reminds, remains in prison awaiting his first court appearance. But in the meantime, the probe into his activities continues.

Kelli Arena has the latest for us -- Kelli.

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jeanne, this is what we know. Robert Hanssen did apparently have a relationship with an exotic dancer. It was by all accounts not a sexual relationship but where he was actually proselytize her. He brought her to his family's church.

What's interesting about the relationship is that he apparently bought her an automobile for $10,000. It's the first hint that investigators have of where part of the alleged $600,000 that he received for selling U.S. secrets went. You know, what did he spend it on? So this is a new bit of information that we do have on, in terms of the money trail.

MESERVE: Now, there are also reports of a plane ticket that he bought for this dance?

ARENA: Well, that's very interesting. The "Washington Post" this morning did report that he had allegedly bought her a plane ticket to Tokyo, but the sources that I spoke to say that things just are not adding up, that they have not been able to confirm that just yet.

MESERVE: And this makes the portrait of Hanssen even more complex, does it not?

ARENA: It's true. I mean the more we learn about this man, the more confusing it becomes. Here's a man who by all accounts, personal accounts, was a very devout conservative, Catholic, and someone who is trying to proselytize an exotic dancer does seem to fit into that mold. But yet he was selling, well, allegedly selling secrets to the Soviets and then the Russians, betraying his country, a very loyal spy. So how these two fit together is very hard to figure out, but it does seem like a Jekyll and Hyde situation.

MESERVE: Kelli Arena, thanks so much. Investigators still trying to figure out where the rest of that money went.

And now back to Atlanta -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Jeanne, thanks for that latest. Thanks to Kelli, as well.

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