Michael Peri

Last updated
Michael A. Peri
Born (1967-03-21) March 21, 1967 (age 57)
NationalityAmerican
Known forEspionage conviction during the Cold War

Michael A. Peri (born March 21, 1967) was a Military Intelligence Electronic Warfare Signals Analyst for the United States Army during the Cold War, who was convicted of espionage in 1989 and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Contents

Biography

Peri was born in California, the son of Fred R. Peri (1937–2015) and Winnie Lee Peri (1938–2020). [1] He grew up in La Habra, California. [1] [2] He lived in an expatriate colony in South Africa for three years as a teenager, and he also attended a year of school in Salzburg, Austria. He graduated from La Quinta High School in Westminster, California, in 1983 and then joined the Army Reserves. [1]

On February 20, 1989, Peri vanished from the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR) in Fulda, West Germany. An exhaustive search was conducted to locate him when it was discovered that he had stolen a portable computer that was used to store classified military defense plans. [3] Peri was not found, although it was suspected that he had defected to East Germany when a Humvee that he had stolen was located near the East German border. [4]

Eleven days later, for reasons that have never been fully explained, Peri turned himself in at the front gate of the 11th ACR. He was greeted at HQ by Col Abrams and arrested by Military Police SPC Shull. [5] He was court-martialed for espionage, where he was convicted on June 25, 1989, and sentenced to 30 years. [6] [7] Even after the conclusion of the court-martial, investigators were perplexed at what had caused this strange turn of events. Peri had twice been nominated for a "Soldier of the Month" award in his unit. During interrogation, Peri admitted he felt overworked and taken for granted by his superior officers. Other soldiers who were interrogated said Peri was often seen with an attractive woman whom they believed to be an East German agent. The woman whom he had been fraternizing with likely exploited his dissatisfaction with the Army to entice him to defecting to East Germany. Peri's voluntary return to West Germany and his surrender to the U.S. Military Police was most likely due to him being overcome by a guilty conscience for a rash decision.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Davidson, Jean (June 27, 1989). "Peri as Spy: Unbelievable to Those Who Knew Him". The Los Angeles Times (Orange County Edition). Los Angeles, CA. pp.  1, 23 . Retrieved January 5, 2025– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  2. ↑ Davidson, Jean; Carlton, Jim (March 2, 1989). "Laguna Niguel GI Missing; Army Fears He's Defected". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, CA. p. 233. Retrieved January 5, 2025– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. ↑ Costelloe, Kevin (March 17, 1989). "Army Says U.S. Soldier Gave Border Plans to E. Germany". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, TN. p. 2. Retrieved January 5, 2025– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  4. ↑ "Laguna Niguel GI Missing; Army Fears He's Defected: His Mother Expresses Concern". latimes.com. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  5. ↑ "A G.I. in Germany is Accused of Spying". nytimes.com. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  6. ↑ "Soldier Who Left Post in West Germany Is Charged". latimes.com. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  7. ↑ "A U.S. Soldier Who Defected Is Given 30 Years for Spying". nytimes.com. Retrieved 1 March 2012.

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