In Portugal, a man stole NATO military gadgets and tried to sell the data to the Russian embassy. He is suspected of attempted espionage

In Portugal, a 23-year-old man was arrested for attempted espionage — he tried to sell stolen information from NATO military gadgets to the Russian Embassy in Lisbon.

CNN Portugal reports this with reference to the Portuguese Attorney Generalʼs Office.

In February 2025, a large-scale conference was held at a naval base near Lisbon, attended by almost 300 people, mostly military personnel.

According to the investigation, the suspect, “who made a living by stealing”, specifically checked into the same hotel where NATO soldiers were staying before the conference. There, he stole a computer and an iPad that belonged to NATO and the Swedish military and were assigned to one of the officers.

The man was convinced that the devices contained classified information, so he tried to access and copy the files. He then contacted the Russian embassy in Lisbon and offered to buy the data. However, the attempt was unsuccessful.

During the investigation, the detainee stated the alleged existence of a spy network, which he was a member of along with other people. However, the investigation established that this version was fabricated.

In addition to attempted espionage, the 23-year-old man is suspected of several thefts, using someone elseʼs documents, giving false testimony, child pornography, driving without a license, and slander. He is currently in custody, and two other theft suspects are involved in the case.

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