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Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira to be sentenced for violating Espionage Act
Former Massachusetts Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira, who admitted he illegally posted sensitive military information to online chat rooms in what prosecutors called one of the “most prolific” and “rare” government leak operations, is set to be sentenced in a Boston courtroom on Tuesday.
Teixeira, a 22-year-old Massachusetts native, pleaded guilty in March to six counts of violating the Espionage Act, acknowledging he was behind the yearlong distribution of dozens of classified government documents — including some marked “top secret” — on Discord, a social media platform. The classified documents involved in the leak touched on a number of sensitive issues, but the most notable were about Russia’s war in Ukraine, detailed troop movements and timelines for Western weapons deliveries to the war-torn country, investigators said.
Federal law enforcement arrested Teixeira at his family’s Massachusetts home after a weekslong probe into how sensitive Pentagon records were ending up online.
Prosecutors have asked a federal judge to sentence the defendant to 200 months in prison — almost 17 years — for his central role in “one of the most significant and consequential violations of the Espionage Act in American history,” one that has prompted reforms in the handling of classified information.
“The harm the defendant caused to the national security from his disclosures of national defense information is extraordinary,” prosecutors wrote in an October court filing.
For over a year, investigators said Teixeira, who had top secret security clearance as an IT worker at the Otis Air National Guard Base,accessed the classified documents illegally and either hand-copied the information or printed the records before posting the data in the Discord chat rooms. He even messaged individuals in his forums and offered to find specific information about “happenings that pertain to your country,” court records said.
The national defense information began appearing online in February 2022, but investigators didn’t link the leaks to Teixeira for over a year. Prosecutors alleged Teixeira knew his conduct was illegal and accused him of violating his oath to serve.
As the investigation into the leaks zeroed in on Teixeira’s unit, prosecutors alleged in previous court documents that Teixeira began instructing others in the Discord group to “delete all messages.”
“[i]f anyone comes looking, don’t tell them sh**,” he allegedly wrote to one user. And he told another, “Try to delete all my messages in civil discussions.”
“In the aggregate, the defendant’s criminal conduct over the course of more than a year ‘critically and negatively impacted’ the Department of Defense’s mission, endangered his fellow soldiers, other citizens, and allied governments throughout the world,” prosecutors argued last month, urging the judge to impose a heavy sentence.
Teixeira’s defense attorney, however, asked for a sentence of 11 years in prison, telling the judge, “His intent was never to harm the United States,” but to “educate his friends about world events to make certain they were not misled by misinformation.”
Revealing that Teixeira was diagnosed with autism, his lawyer wrote in an October court filing that “his motives and decisions were naïve, not nefarious.” Teixeira accepted responsibility for the admitted crimes, including by participating in an hourslong briefing with members of the intelligence community, the defense filings argued.
“The actions of Jack Teixeira are inexcusable,” the attorney wrote, describing his client not as a criminal leaker but as a misguided young person swept up in an online ecosystem. “However, Jack is still essentially a child – at the very least, a ‘youthful offender’ – who has his whole life in front of him.”
Following Teixeira’s arrest, the Air Force inspector general found that individuals in his Massachusetts unit failed to take proper action after at least four separate security incidents. Members of his unit “enabled” the leaks by not properly supervising his access to classified information, the review concluded. The Air National Guard took action against 15 individuals for “dereliction in the performance of duties” as a result of the report’s findings.
Texeira also faces charges of disobeying orders and obstructing justice in a military court martial, which are expected to be adjudicated in March.
Eleanor Watson contributed to this report.
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With gold’s price high should beginners still invest? Experts weigh in
Gold has had a banner year. Prices of the precious metal have hit record highs multiple times in 2024, and by the end of October, they sat at more than $2,700 per ounce — up from just over $2,000 per ounce at the start of the year. While that price has since dropped slightly in November, it’s still up by more than 20% year to date.
Part of the run-up is due to inflation, but geopolitical tensions, the U.S. presidential election, and other economic uncertainties have driven consumers toward the safe-haven investment, too.
But is it still a good time to buy in, especially for beginning investors? We asked some experts their thoughts on why (and why not) today’s prices could be worth it.
Start exploring your top gold investing options here now.
With gold’s price high should beginners still invest?
Here’s what experts think about beginners investing in gold now against today’s elevated price backdrop.
Yes, beginners should invest in gold right now
There are several reasons beginning investors might want to buy into gold right now, despite its high prices. For one, prices could keep rising, which would mean more portfolio growth for those who invest.
According to Goldman Sachs, the precious metal is likely to hit prices of $3,000 per ounce by the end of 2025. That’s up nearly $300 per ounce from current pricing.
Beyond this, gold is also a good portfolio diversifier, as it’s not correlated to other asset classes. So when those see a downturn — or the economy struggles in general, gold tends to hold steady or even see growth.
“It plays a vital role in portfolio diversification,” says Drew Martino, a wealth manager at Savvy Wealth, noting that in today’s unique economic climate “effective diversification and downside protection are more important than ever.”
Gold also offers you an option for liquidity should you need cash in a pinch.
“Most investors are sitting with stocks and real estate, and these two asset classes trend up and down simultaneously,” says James Cordier, head trader at Alternative Options. “That means when a large market correction happens and cash is needed, you’ll be selling either stocks or homes at the worst possible time. Owning a third asset class will start to become more of the norm as investors seek true diversification.”
Finally, by investing in gold as a beginner — when just starting your portfolio, you have more time to enjoy its benefits. As Ben Nadelstein, head of content at Monetary Metals, recently told CBS News, “Older investors might have more ounces, but younger investors have more years for those ounces to work for them.”
Get started with gold here today.
No, beginners should not invest in gold right now
What goes up must come down, and while some forecasts say gold prices will continue to rise in the near term, that’s not guaranteed, as has been demonstrated by gold’s recent price drop. Buying now could put you at risk for serious losses should prices take a more significant tumble.
“Gold has mainly been rising due to overseas demand, partly from central banks and partly from individual investors,” says Tom Graff, chief investment officer at financial planning firm Facet. “It is possible that it will continue, but this kind of demand can be quite fickle.”
Changing Federal Reserve policy — which has caused a shift in interest rates lately — also puts things in uncertain territory for the metal, Graff says.
“If the Fed winds up cutting less than markets currently assume, that would cause the dollar to strengthen, which tends to be bad for gold,” Graff says. “I think there’s a lot of scenarios where gold could fall from here.”
How to invest in gold
If you do opt to buy gold, Graff recommends gold ETFs over physical gold, like coins or bars.
“Physical gold winds up being expensive to transact and store,” Graff says. “This is especially true if you buy your gold via collectibles. You are almost always paying a premium to the melt value of the gold in that case, and therefore, your return becomes highly subject to demand for the collectible.”
You can also open a gold IRA if you’re hoping to use gold as part of your retirement strategy. Just make sure to shop around to find the best gold IRA company first.
Learn more about your best gold investing options online now.
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