The Complicated Relationship Between a Spy and His Handler

The case of Ogorodnik, also known as the "Gardener Spy" case, was a Soviet espionage scandal that took place in the 1980s. It involved a Soviet KGB agent named Gennadiy Vasilenko Ogorodnik who was working undercover as a gardener in the United States embassy in Moscow. Ogorodnik had been recruited by the KGB to provide classified information to the Soviet Union.

Ogorodnik's activities were eventually discovered by the United States government, and he was arrested along with several other individuals who were involved in the spy ring. The case attracted widespread media attention, as it was one of the most significant spy scandals of the Cold War era.

During the trial, it was revealed that Ogorodnik had used his position as a gardener to gather information about the embassy, its staff, and its operations. He had also recruited several other individuals to spy for the Soviet Union, including a US Marine sergeant named Clayton J. Lonetree.

Ogorodnik was ultimately convicted of espionage and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Lonetree was also convicted of espionage and received a 30-year sentence.

The case of Ogorodnik highlighted the ongoing efforts of the Soviet Union to spy on the United States during the Cold War. It also demonstrated the effectiveness of the US government's counterintelligence efforts in detecting and prosecuting foreign spies operating within the country.