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Reality Winner: Whistleblower Reflects on Espionage Case

9/12/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Reality Winner, a former NSA contractor, leaked a classified document in May 2017 detailing Russian cyber attacks on U.S. election systems.
She sent the document to The Intercept, expecting it to be taken seriously.
The FBI identified her as the source after reporters verified the leak.
Winner received a five-year sentence under the Espionage Act, the longest for such a case at that time.
Released in 2021, she shares her story in her memoir, *I Am Not Your Enemy*.

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Story summary

Reality Winner, a former NSA contractor, leaked a classified document in May 2017 detailing Russian cyber attacks on U.S. election systems.
She sent the document to The Intercept, expecting it to be taken seriously.
The FBI identified her as the source after reporters verified the leak.
Winner received a five-year sentence under the Espionage Act, the longest for such a case at that time.
Released in 2021, she shares her story in her memoir, *I Am Not Your Enemy*.