Christopher Andrew Boyce was an American defense industry employee who was convicted of selling U.S. spy satellite secrets to the Soviet Union in the 1970s. He studied at California State University and later managed to land a job at TRW, a U.S. aerospace firm, through his father’s connections. He worked in the black vault, a secure communication center where he was exposed to very classified information, including U.S. spy satellite technology.
Boyce, along with his childhood friend, Andrew Daulton Lee, was involved in spying activities. They initially started the operation as a protest against U.S. foreign policies. Later, their motivations became more financial. His friend Lee, a drug dealer, helped him in selling these classified documents to Soviet agents in Mexico City. They were given code names Falcon and Snowman, respectively.
Eventually, their activities came to light, leading to the dire consequences of their arrest and convictions for treason. Lee was captured first in 1977, and Boyce escaped for a while but was eventually caught in 1980. Boyce was sentenced to 40 years in prison, while Lee received a life sentence.
Key Takeaways
- Christopher Andrew Boyce sold U.S. spy satellite secrets to the Soviet Union.
- He landed a job at the U.S. aerospace firm TRW, where he was exposed to highly classified information.
- Joined by his friend Andrew Daulton Lee, the duo sold classified documents to Soviet agents in Mexico City.
- Their activities were eventually discovered, leading to their arrest and conviction for treason. Boyce was sentenced to 40 years in prison, while Lee was given a life sentence.
Related Questions
1. Did Christopher Andrew Boyce serve his full prison term?
Boyce didn’t serve his full prison term. He was released on parole in 2002 after serving 25 years of his sentence.
2. What was Boyce’s personal background?
Boyce came from a comfortable and educated background, with his father being a former FBI agent and his mother being in academia.
3. What motivated Boyce to sell secrets to the Soviet Union?
Boyce initially began spying out of protest against U.S. foreign policies. Later, the main motivation became financial gain.
4. How was Boyce eventually caught?
Boyce was captured after living on the run for almost two years following the arrest of his accomplice, Andrew Daulton Lee.
5. What is Boyce’s life after prison like?
After his release from prison, Boyce lived a low-key life. He got married to a fellow prisoner’s sister and resided in the Pacific Northwest, leading a quiet life.