Edward J. Snowden was ordered Tuesday to forfeit over $5 million he made from book sales and paid speeches after the intelligence leaker recently lost a related civil suit to the U.S. government.
U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady entered the final judgment against Mr. Snowden in federal court in Alexandria, Va., after lawyers on both sides of the dispute recently agreed to the sum.
Mr. Snowden, who is wanted in the U.S. for leaking state secrets and has lived in Russia for several years, previously argued he is both literally and financially in no place to pay, however.
Formerly a contractor for the U.S. National Security Agency, Mr. Snowden first made waves in 2013 when he admittedly leaked details to the media about the NSA’s vast surveillance operations.
He was subsequently charged under the U.S. Espionage Act for disclosing national security information, but he was granted temporary asylum in Russia and has lived resided in the years since.
The civil suit was filed more than six years later the same day Mr. Snowden’s memoir, “Permanent Record,” became available at bookstores and quickly became a bestseller.
Federal prosecutors argued — and the court concurred — that Mr. Snowden violated non-disclosure agreements he entered with the government by not submitting the book for review before publications.
Mr. Snowden was accordingly ordered to relinquish his cut from sales of “Permanent Record,” as well as money he made from paid speeches given over the years without the government’s go-ahead.
A joint motion entered in court earlier this month said lawyers for each side agreed Mr. Snowden was on the hook for more than $5.2 million stemming from book sales and paid speeches.
“The judgement [sic] from this censorship case is not enforceable while I am in exile, but I’ve never had that much money anyway,” Mr. Snowden wrote at the time.
Mr. Snowden, 37, did not immediately respond to a message requesting comment on the judge’s order.
He indicated on Twitter earlier this month he would be more inclined to pay if he is pardoned of charges brought as a result of the leaks and can return to the U.S. without risking imprisonment.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
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