Larry Franklin — Person

Key Facts

Type

Person

Sector

government

Industry

defense and intelligence

Status

Draft

Country

United States

Nationality

AmericanUnited States

Birth Date

Invalid Date

Death Date

Not specified

Sex

Male

Also Known As

Lawrence FranklinLawrence Anthony FranklinLawrence A. FranklinLarry A. Franklin

Tags

Pentagon analystintelligence officialespionage convictIran specialistAIPAC caseOffice of Special Plans

Overall Confidence

95%

Internal Notes

No notes

About

Lawrence Anthony Franklin, commonly known as Larry Franklin or Larry A. Franklin, is a former mid-level Pentagon analyst who specialized in Iranian affairs. He served in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs under Douglas Feith, specifically within the Pentagon's Near East and South Asia Affairs office and later the Office of Special Plans (OSP), a unit created in 2002 under the Bush administration to support intelligence related to Iraq's weapons programs. Franklin had a military background, enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1968, serving in Vietnam as an intelligence officer, and rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserves by the time of his arrest. He earned a Master's degree in International Relations from the University of Maryland in 1982 and developed expertise in the Persian language and Iranian politics.

In 2004, Franklin became central to a high-profile espionage case involving the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). He was arrested by the FBI for passing classified U.S. national defense information concerning U.S. policy toward Iran—including details about a presidential directive, sensitive assessments, potential strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, and possible attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq—to AIPAC officials Steven J. Rosen and Keith Weissman, as well as to Naor Gilon, a senior Israeli diplomat. Franklin pleaded guilty on October 14, 2005, to three counts of conspiracy to communicate national defense information to unauthorized persons, admitting his intent was to advance pro-Israel policy positions. He cooperated with prosecutors, becoming a key government witness and testifying against Rosen and Weissman, which led to reduced charges against him.

Franklin was convicted in 2006 and sentenced on January 20 to 12 years and 8 months in federal prison, though his sentence was later reduced to house arrest. He was released after serving approximately five years, with reports varying between a December 15, 2009 release after 16 months and another indicating 2011 after about five years. The AIPAC case was dismissed in 2009 before trial due to evidentiary issues. Franklin is of Ashkenazi Jewish ethnicity and has been described as having strong sympathies toward Israel; these factors were cited in discussions of his motivations. The scandal highlighted debates over dual loyalties, lobbying influence, insider threats within U.S. intelligence, and the handling of intelligence in U.S. foreign policy. Since his release, Franklin has lived privately, with limited public information about his current activities.

Key Relationships

AIPAC

intermediary

Franklin acted as an intermediary between U.S. officials and AIPAC, leaking sensitive Iran intel that benefited Israeli interests, as detailed in his plea deal.

Since 2003

AIPAC

secret_meeting

Lawrence Franklin held undisclosed meetings with AIPAC staffers Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman in 2003-2004, where he allegedly shared sensitive U.S. intelligence on Iran, leading to a federal investigation (charges later dropped).

Since 2003

Steve Rosen

secret_meeting

Larry Franklin covertly met repeatedly with Steve Rosen in 2003 and 2004 at locations such as the Pentagon parking lot and restaurants, where he passed classified Pentagon documents on U.S. Iran policy and potential military actions against Iranian nuclear sites. By doing so, he sought to bolster AIPAC's lobbying efforts for stronger U.S. actions against Iran, including preemptive measures on nuclear programs, thereby advancing pro-Israel advocacy. These clandestine meetings exposed Franklin's role in bridging U.S. intelligence and lobbying networks, were central to the FBI investigation and Franklin's guilty plea, and he later provided detailed testimony against Rosen during pre-trial proceedings.

Since 2003

Keith Weissman

secret_meeting

Larry Franklin provided Keith Weissman with national defense information on U.S. strategies toward Iran, including sensitive Pentagon assessments on Iranian nuclear programs, potential U.S. strike options, and other sensitive national security discussions, to aid AIPAC's pro-Israel advocacy and bolster its lobbying efforts. Franklin conducted clandestine meetings with Weissman, often alongside Rosen, in 2003–2004, effectively acting as an internal source to amplify AIPAC's policy influence. These interactions, which formed the core allegations of the 2005 espionage case, triggered an FBI investigation, leading to Weissman's indictment and conspiracy charges. As part of his plea agreement, Franklin later testified as a cooperating witness about these leaks to Weissman, creating direct adversarial pressure in the case. This direct contact underscores interpersonal ties in intelligence dissemination.

Since 2003

Naor Gilon

secret_meeting

Franklin met covertly with Gilon, who acted as his primary point of contact, multiple times in 2002-2004, including at the Israeli Embassy, to share unauthorized national defense information, including classified U.S. documents and sensitive assessments on Iran policy, nuclear threats, and potential strikes. Franklin admitted these disclosures were intended to support Israeli strategic interests, aiming to shape Israeli diplomatic strategies and U.S.-Israel alignment on Iran policy, and facilitated indirect Israeli access to U.S. intelligence. The meetings and communications, evidenced by Franklin's admissions and FBI surveillance, suggest Gilon played a handler-like role in facilitating the flow of information to advance Israeli policy goals, making this direct, personal channel to a foreign diplomat a pivotal element in the espionage prosecution.

Since 2002

Israel

foreign_agent_of

Franklin's guilty plea confirmed he communicated national defense information to Israeli officials, including Gilon, to promote Israeli interests in U.S. policy toward Iran, effectively operating as an unregistered agent under FARA principles without formal disclosure; this underscores unregistered foreign influence operations.

Key Facts

Career & Education

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Key Relationships