Leonardo Mascheroni
Encyclopedia
Pedro Leonardo Mascheroni (born 1935) is a physicist
who, according to the United States
government, attempted to sell nuclear secrets to a Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) agent posing as a Venezuela
n spy. "U.S. authorities stressed that the Venezuelan government had no role in the affair."
, came to the US in 1963 to study at the University of California, Berkeley
, where he gained a doctorate. He became a US citizen in 1972.
He worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory
from 1979 to 1987. In the 1980s he was suspected by some of his superiors of being a spy for Argentina, and whilst never charged (and no evidence being found by the FBI), was stripped of his security clearance and fired from Los Alamos in 1987.
He left Los Alamos after a controversy surrounding his idea of using hydrogen fluoride
lasers to generate nuclear fusion
. Since then, he has been critical of Los Alamos and has attempted to lobby the United States Congress
to fund his idea. According to the Miami Herald, he has been described as both a "nut" and a "prophet". He is married to Marjorie Roxby Mascheroni, herself a former technical writer for Los Alamos.
: "I would have left this country already if I were a spy...Spies do not take their case in front of Congress, and they don't leave all their files and computers and everything here for the FBI to just come and take." Some fellow scientists defended Mascheroni at the time, saying he was not a spy.
, who has denied being interested in developing nuclear weapons, has been critical of the United States' conduct in the Mascheroni case, "suggesting the FBI deliberately created a disinformation campaign."
If convicted, Mascheroni and his wife could face life sentences.
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
who, according to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government, attempted to sell nuclear secrets to a Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
(FBI) agent posing as a Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n spy. "U.S. authorities stressed that the Venezuelan government had no role in the affair."
Background
Mascheroni, originally from ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, came to the US in 1963 to study at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, where he gained a doctorate. He became a US citizen in 1972.
He worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory, managed and operated by Los Alamos National Security , located in Los Alamos, New Mexico...
from 1979 to 1987. In the 1980s he was suspected by some of his superiors of being a spy for Argentina, and whilst never charged (and no evidence being found by the FBI), was stripped of his security clearance and fired from Los Alamos in 1987.
He left Los Alamos after a controversy surrounding his idea of using hydrogen fluoride
Hydrogen fluoride
Hydrogen fluoride is a chemical compound with the formula HF. This colorless gas is the principal industrial source of fluorine, often in the aqueous form as hydrofluoric acid, and thus is the precursor to many important compounds including pharmaceuticals and polymers . HF is widely used in the...
lasers to generate nuclear fusion
Nuclear fusion
Nuclear fusion is the process by which two or more atomic nuclei join together, or "fuse", to form a single heavier nucleus. This is usually accompanied by the release or absorption of large quantities of energy...
. Since then, he has been critical of Los Alamos and has attempted to lobby the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
to fund his idea. According to the Miami Herald, he has been described as both a "nut" and a "prophet". He is married to Marjorie Roxby Mascheroni, herself a former technical writer for Los Alamos.
2009 Investigation
In 2009, the FBI raided Mascheroni's home on suspicion of his being a spy, an allegation he denied in an interview with the Albuquerque JournalAlbuquerque Journal
-History:Its earliest predecessor, the Albuquerque Daily Journal, was first published on October 14, 1880. The newspaper is owned by the Journal Publishing Company, a family-owned business headed by president/publisher T.H. Lang; it is operated by the Albuquerque Publishing Company...
: "I would have left this country already if I were a spy...Spies do not take their case in front of Congress, and they don't leave all their files and computers and everything here for the FBI to just come and take." Some fellow scientists defended Mascheroni at the time, saying he was not a spy.
2010 Indictment
In 2010, Mascheroni was indicted on suspicion of selling classified information. According to the United States, Mascheroni allegedly told a man whom he believed to be from the Venezuelan embassy that he could help Venezuela develop a nuclear bomb within ten years using a secret underground nuclear reactor. The man turned out to be an undercover FBI agent, and Mascheroni was subsequently arrested. Mascheroni allegedly charged the phony Venezuelan agent $793,000 for the 132-page document, which he titled A Deterrence Program for Venezuela. Mascheroni was also reportedly interested in obtaining Venezuelan citizenship. He denied the accusations, claiming that he was merely "driven by science". Venezuelan leader Hugo ChávezHugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
, who has denied being interested in developing nuclear weapons, has been critical of the United States' conduct in the Mascheroni case, "suggesting the FBI deliberately created a disinformation campaign."
If convicted, Mascheroni and his wife could face life sentences.