A former White House senior official is accused of working as a spy for the South Korean government, the Daily Beast reported. A federal indictment claims Sue Mi Terry was allegedly trading America’s secrets for luxury gifts.
Terry has held positions on the White House National Security Council and as an analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency. The 54-year-old is also married to Max Boot, a Washington Post columnist.
Prosecutors are alleging that she used her influential positions to act as a double agent for the South Korean government. According to USA Today, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said Terry “subverted foreign agent registration laws in order to provide South Korean intelligence officers with access, information, and advocacy.”
In exchange, she received lavish gifts. “Terry allegedly sold out her positions and influence to the South Korean government in return for luxury handbags, expensive meals, and thousands of dollars of funding for her public policy program."
According to the 31-page indictment, Terry could spend up to five years in prison for allegedly spilling secrets to the South Korean National Intelligence Service. She became a "valuable source of information" who also gave access to U.S. officials and used her influence to shape policy.
In exchange, she got a taste of the good life. Terry was treated to dinners at the finest restaurants and received designer handbags, including a $3,450 Louis Vuitton purse, a $2,950 Bottega Veneta handbag, and a $2,845 Dolce & Gabbana overcoat.
Most troublingly, Terry also received $37,000 to find a public policy program that advocated for the communist nation. Perhaps it's no coincidence that she also testified to Congress on behalf of Korean interests.
On three separate occasions, when she appeared before lawmakers, Terry certified that she was not an agent of a foreign government. Despite the compelling case in the government indictment, Terry's attorney, Lee Wolosky, said she was an American patriot.
“These allegations are unfounded and distort the work of a scholar and news analyst known for her independence and years of service to the United States. Dr. Terry...was a harsh critic of the South Korean government during times this indictment alleges that she was acting on its behalf. Once the facts are made clear it will be evident the government made a significant mistake."
How It Worked
Despite her attorney’s protestations, prosecutors allege that Terry used her connections from her time in government to carry out espionage and betrayal. She worked in various positions for the U.S. government between 2001 and 2011.
According to court documents, Terry once slipped a handwritten account to a "handler" at the North Korean intelligence agency that outlined the details of a 2002 meeting with then-Secretary of State Colin Powell regarding strategies for dealing with North Korea.
In April 2023, Terry allegedly hosted a cocktail party funded by the foreign intelligence agency. One of her handlers even attended disguised as a diplomat to make connections with congressional staff on the guest list.
Terry also penned opinion pieces with her columnist husband at the behest of her handlers, Fox News reported. Ironically, Boot had accused former President Donald Trump of being a Russian agent.
It would be a monumental scandal if Terry were, in fact, working as a foreign agent against American interests. It's frightening that she had access to high places, important people, and even the American media while allegedly working for our adversaries.
