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Former Trump administration national security adviser John Bolton, 77, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of retention of national defense information.
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Under a deal with the Justice Department, Bolton agreed to a prison sentence of up to 60 months and a $2.25 million fine.
The sentence will ultimately be decided by a judge on Oct. 28. The judge is not bound by the terms of the plea agreement and could issue a sentence that is higher or lower than what both sides recommended.
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The plea resolves a case filed in October, when Bolton was indicted on 18 counts related to the alleged retention or sharing of diary-like notes with family members. Authorities say he transmitted classified information using a personal email account that was hacked by Iranian-backed cyber actors.
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“Americans’ safety and security were needlessly put at risk by Bolton’s reckless and illegal actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “In this case, the worst happened — our most sensitive government secrets were stolen by an adversary.”
Officials said the notes contained classified information and were written as Bolton was preparing a memoir about his time in government.
Bolton served as national security adviser during President Donald Trump’s first term and has since become a vocal critic.
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The Associated Press contributed to this story.