John Kiriakou

John Kiriakou is an American former Central Intelligence Agency officer, author, and whistleblower.

John Kiriakou is an American former Central Intelligence Agency officer, author, and whistleblower. He became widely known in 2007 for confirming that the CIA used waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods, and he was later convicted in connection with disclosing classified information.

Early life and career

Kiriakou was born on August 9, 1964. He served in the CIA from 1990 to 2004 in analytical and operational roles, including work with the CIA’s Counterterrorism Center. He later worked as a senior investigator for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Whistleblowing and torture disclosures

In 2007, Kiriakou publicly confirmed that the CIA had used waterboarding on detainees. His statements made him one of the most prominent figures associated with debates over U.S. interrogation policy after 9/11.

Criminal case and imprisonment

Kiriakou was indicted in 2012 and later convicted for disclosing information identifying a covert CIA officer to a journalist. He received a 30-month prison sentence and served roughly two years before being released in 2015.

Later work and recognition

After his release, Kiriakou continued writing and speaking on intelligence and civil liberties issues. He received several awards recognizing whistleblowing and First Amendment advocacy, including the PEN First Amendment Award and the Sam Adams Award.