David Petraeus, the former CIA director and military commander, will plead guilty to federal charges in connection to his leak of classified information to his lover, journalist Paula Broadwell, according to court documents. Petraeus will plead guilty to a misdemeanor count of unauthorized removal and retention of classified information.
1. He Will Likely Avoid Jail
General David Petraeus. (Getty)
Petraeus faces up to a year in federal prison, but prosecutors will not object to his argument against prison time, according to the plea agreement. Prosecutors will request two years of probation and a fine of $40,000, according to the agreement.
2. He Lied to FBI Agents at His CIA Office
While Petraeus is now admitting to the crime, he initially lied to the FBI about his mishandling of classified documents. During an interview at his CIA office, Petraeus said he never gave classified information to his biographer and never facilitated the provision of classified information to his biographer. Prosecutors say both those claims were false.
“David Howell Petraeus knew then and there knew that he previously shared the (documents) with his biographer,” prosecutors said in court documents.
3. His Lover Was Writing His Biography
Petraeus gave the classified documents to his lover, journalist Paula Broadwell, who was writing his biography at the time.
According to court documents, in 2011 Petraeus gave Broadwell eight bound notebooks, called the “Black Books,” which included his daily schedule and classified and unclassified notes he took during meetings, conferences and briefings while he was commander of the allied forces in Afghanistan. The books included the identities of covert officers, war strategies, diplomatic discussions and notes from meetings Petraeus had with the president. They also included top secret code words.
None of the classified information appeared in the biography, “All In: The Education of General David Petraeus,” which was published in 2012. The “Black Books” were given back to Petraeus by Broadwell and were found at his Virginia home during a 2013 FBI raid.
4. The FBI Uncovered the Leak During a Harassment Investigation
David Petraeus and Jill Kelley. (Getty)
The FBI learned about the leaked documents while investigating a claim that Broadwell was harassing Petraeus’ friend, Jill Kelley, according to the New York Times.
Kelley had told the FBI she was receiving threatening emails warning her to stay away from Petraeus. The FBI traced the emails and determined they were sent by Broadwell, who was having an affair with Petraeus, according to the Times report. The FBI began investigating Broadwell and learned about the leak of classified documents.
In November 2012, Petraeus resigned from his position as CIA director after the affair and leak were made public.
5. He Is Still Married
(Getty)
Petraeus remains married to his wife, Holly, according to the Times report.
