A 15-count indictment was returned by a federal grand jury on Tuesday against former U.S. ambassador Manuel Rocha, who is accused of spying for Cuba. The charges include conspiracy, acting as an illegal foreign agent, wire fraud, and false statements.
The 32-page indictment provides additional insights into Rocha’s alleged activities over more than four decades, during which he reportedly ascended through the ranks of the State Department and U.S. foreign policy circles while concealing his purported role as an agent for Cuba’s intelligence services.
The document also reveals Rocha’s mention of another unnamed Cuban agent, described as a U.S. government employee, whom he claimed was “betrayed.”
Prosecutors assert that Rocha became closely associated with Cuba’s intelligence services around 1973, particularly during the military overthrow of Salvador Allende’s socialist government in Chile.
In 1981, Rocha applied for a position with the U.S. State Department, falsely affirming that he was not acting as an agent of a foreign government—a falsehood that persisted for decades, according to prosecutors.
Born in Colombia and raised in New York, Rocha started his diplomatic career with lower-level postings in U.S. embassies in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Mexico in 1981. Subsequently, he served in the National Security Council and held positions in Havana, Cuba, from 1995 to 1995, later becoming the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Argentina and ultimately serving as the U.S. ambassador to Bolivia from 1999 to 2002.
The unsealed indictment introduces additional charges of wire fraud against Rocha, alleging that he sought to “unlawfully enrich himself while furthering the intelligence interests” of Cuba by consistently lying to secure and maintain his employment at the State Department. This includes obtaining annual annuity retirement payments after leaving office.
As of now, there has been no response from Rocha’s attorney to ABC News’ request for comment on the indictment.
