Jury Acquits Former CIA Recruit Accused of Sexually Assaulting Female Colleague Inside Agency’s Headquarters

A man crosses the CIA logo in the lobby of CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia, on August 14, 2008. AFP PHOTO/SAUL LOEB Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

A former CIA officer-trainee accused of sexually assaulting a female colleague in a stairwell inside the agency’s headquarters in 2022 was acquitted of the charges by a Virginia jury on Oct. 30.

Prosecutors alleged Ashkan Bayatpour, 40, came up behind his fellow trainee—who has since publicly identified herself as Rachel Cuda—in the stairwell of the Langley, Virginia, building and wrapped a scarf around her neck while trying to kiss her.

Bayatpour was also accused of making threatening remarks toward her.

The jury deliberated for several hours before handing down its verdict on Oct. 30.

In a statement after the verdict, Bayatpour said he was grateful that a “jury of my peers believed me and found me not guilty.”

“Being falsely accused for the last two years has been a nightmare,” Bayatpour said. “My family and I have had so much of our peace, joy, privacy and security stolen from us, and my focus now is putting my life back together after this ordeal.”

The alleged incident had prompted a flood of sexual assault and harassment complaints from other CIA workers, and the agency ultimately implemented a string of reforms.

In an interview with CBS News on Oct 29, Cuda said she attempted to report the alleged incident in 2022 to her immediate supervisor as well as multiple other CIA officers but learned the agency lacked a formal process to handle sexual assault complaints.

She further claimed she was warned by CIA officials that reporting the incident to police would violate a confidentiality agreement she signed as an agency employee.

Following the CIA’s own internal review into the alleged incident, Bayatpour was cleared of any wrongdoing, and Cuda filed a report with local law enforcement and sought a protective order in 2023.

She also recounted the alleged incident during testimony in a closed-door hearing to the House Intelligence Committee.

Cuda later filed a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging the CIA retaliated against her for reporting the alleged incident to police and testifying about it before Congress. She was then fired by the agency.

Bayatpour was found guilty of a state misdemeanor charge of assault and battery during a trial in Fairfax General District Court in August 2023. Fairfax General District Court Judge Dipti Pidikiti-Smith also ordered him to serve six months’ probation.

The Alabama native and former U.S. Navy intelligence officer resigned from the CIA but appealed the conviction and was granted a full jury trial in Fairfax County, in line with Virginia law.

The Epoch Times contacted the CIA and Cuda’s lawyer, Kevin Carroll, for comment on the jury’s acquittal but received no reply by publication time.

At least two dozen female CIA employees have come forward to authorities and Congress alleging sexual assault since Cuda filed her complaint. Many claim to have been prevented from speaking out.

In a bipartisan report published in April, the House Intelligence Committee found the CIA “failed to handle allegations of sexual assault and harassment within its workforce in the professional and uniform manner that such sensitive allegations warrant.”

In July, the CIA announced it had implemented a string of reforms, including expanding available resources for workers who have witnessed or been victims of sexual assault, sexual harassment, discrimination, and other forms of harassment and increasing its capacity to address such reports.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.