Wannabe Spy Jailed for Economic Espionage

If you’ve ever fantasized about how cool it’d be to be a spy, then you have something in common with Elliot Doxer.

Doxer, 43, fancied his life a spy novel waiting to happen when he contacted the Israeli consulate here offering “to help our homeland and our war against our enemies,” according to a release from the FBI Boston division.

Only Doxer’s methods weren’t exactly James Bondesque. Rather, Doxer, who worked in the finance department in Cambridge’s Akamai Technologies, Inc., announced his entry to the espionage game via email, which every one knows is not exactly the most secure platform available.

FBI agents posing as Israeli intelligence officers strung Doxer along in near textbook style. They set up secret rendezvous where Doxer could drop off and pick up written communications with his supposed handlers. According to the FBI, Doxer visited the site 62 times and eventually revealed his willingness to travel to Israel to partake in secret operations.

In the end, Doxer attempted to provide full contact, salary, and contract information (including agreements with the Department of Defense) from Akamai to his handler. It should be noted that no company information ever actually got out.

U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper sentenced Doxer to six months in prison, followed by six months confinement to home, and a $25,000 fine for commuting foreign economic espionage.

“Because the Boston area is a worldwide leader of innovative technology and research, the FBI has a vigorous program to educate companies on the enormous threat posed by economic espionage and teaches companies how to detect and deter it,” Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Boston, said in a statement.