The Intriguing Story of Jack Barsky: KGB Sleeper Agent

Jack Barsky, born Albert Dittrich in East Germany, became a KGB sleeper agent in the United States during the Cold War. Trained by the KGB, Barsky lived under a false identity in New York, intended to infiltrate U.S. political circles. Despite his meticulous training, much of his espionage work involved low-level intelligence gathering and blending into American society as an ordinary citizen. Barsky’s cover was nearly blown when he failed to obtain a U.S. passport, limiting his operations. In 1988, faced with a recall threat from the KGB, Barsky chose to stay in the U.S. for his daughter’s sake. Eventually, the FBI discovered him, but after cooperating, Barsky was allowed to remain in the U.S., gaining citizen