Jeanne Vertefeuille

Jeanne Vertefeuille
Born (1932-12-23)December 23, 1932
New Haven, Connecticut
Died December 29, 2012(2012-12-29) (aged 80)
Nationality American
Alma mater Bachelor's degree, history, University of Connecticut, 1954
Occupation CIA officer
Employer CIA
Known for Investigation which uncovered the actions of Aldrich Ames

Jeanne Vertefeuille (23 December 1932 29 December 2012) was a CIA officer who participated on a small team that investigated and uncovered the actions of Aldrich Ames, a notorious Cold War spy. Born in New Haven, Connecticut on December 23, 1932, she earned a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Connecticut in 1954, where she also learned German and French. She began her career as a typist for the Agency in 1954 and obtained promotions and expertise on the Soviet Union over several decades, serving in Ethiopia, Finland, and the Netherlands.[1][2]

She was made the lead investigator of a small team looking at the high rate of Russian double agent disappearances in 1986.[1] As it became more clear to the team that there could be a mole in the organization, Vertefeuille worked to keep the team small and focused to minimize the chances of the mole escaping before an arrest could be made.[3] Over the course of 8 years, this investigation led her to Ames's involvement in the disappearances - he had exposed them in exchange for millions of dollars, leading to at least 8 executions. The investigation was fraught with difficulty, but the team began to uncover his treachery in 1989 when it was found that he had bought luxury cars and a house, beyond the salary of a typical CIA agent. The case was not cracked until 1991, when Vertefeuille and her team correlated Ames's meeting times with large deposits in his bank account.[1] She officially retired in 1992 but continued to work as a contractor until a few months before her death in 2012.[2] Ames was arrested with the involvement of the FBI on February 21, 1994.[1] Prior to his arrest, Ames had told the KGB that Vertefeuille had the requisite access to be framed instead.[4]

Throughout her career, Vertefeuille was known for her intense personal privacy and solitary nature. She died of brain cancer at the age of 80.[1]

Further reading

Legacy

In 2014, ABC aired The Assets, an eight-part American drama television miniseries based on Circle of Treason.[5][6][7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Martin, Douglas (11 January 2013). "Jeanne Vertefeuille, C.I.A. Official Who Helped Catch a Notorious Mole, Dies at 80". New York Times. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  2. 1 2 Morell, Michael (4 January 2013). "Message from the Acting Director: Jeanne Vertefeuille". CIA. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  3. Wise, David (1995). Nightmover. HarperCollins. pp. 176–177. ISBN 0-06-017198-7.
  4. "The People of the CIA...Ames Mole Hunt Team". CIA. 30 April 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  5. Andreeva, Nellie. "ABC Orders Cold War Limited Series 'The Assets' For 2014". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  6. Lacey Rose (2013-07-23). "ABC Orders Limited Series About The Cold War". Hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  7. "ABC Orders Cold War-Inspired Limited Series ‘The Assets’ - Ratings | TVbytheNumbers". Tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
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