Brian Kelley (CIA officer)


Brian Kelley was an American Central Intelligence Agency counterintelligence officer. Kelley received the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal for his service.

Early life

Kelley was born in Waterbury, Connecticut. He earned degrees in political science from Saint Michael's College and East Asian studies from Florida State University.

Career

After university he joined the United States Air Force and worked in its Office of Special Investigations. After leaving the Air Force he joined the CIA.
In the late 1990s, Kelley was falsely accused of spying against the United States for the KGB and its successor, the SVR. For about a year Kelley was suspended with pay while he was under investigation until information from a Russian informant forced the investigation on the case to re-focus on FBI agent Robert Hanssen, who was later apprehended and convicted of spying against the United States. Kelley was subsequently exonerated.
After full reinstatement, Kelley educated personnel in various government agencies on professional counterintelligence. He retired from the CIA in 2007 and worked for the private contractor Abraxas Corporation and continued to teach counterintelligence. He also taught counterintelligence at The Institute of World Politics.

Death

Kelley died on September 19, 2011 in his sleep at his home in Vienna, Virginia.