Overview

Thomas G. Clines (1928-2013) was a former senior CIA officer who became a private arms dealer and was the only Iran-Contra defendant to serve a meaningful prison sentence. Clines had a long career in the CIA's clandestine operations, including service in the Bay of Pigs operation, Vietnam-era operations in Laos (working with Ted Shackley and Edwin Wilson), and other covert programs before retiring from the agency in 1978. After leaving the CIA, Clines entered the private arms business. When Oliver North and Richard Secord organized the covert Contra resupply operation and Iran arms sales, Clines was brought in because of his extensive contacts in the international arms trade. He served as a middleman in weapons procurement, using his connections to source arms for the Contras and facilitating aspects of the Iran weapons pipeline. Clines was indicted by Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh on charges related to his role in the Enterprise. However, his most significant legal jeopardy came from tax charges. Clines had failed to report income from his arms dealing activities and had concealed his financial interest in the Enterprise. He was convicted on four felony counts of underreporting his income to the IRS for tax years 1985 and 1986 and filing false tax returns. Clines was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison and fined $40,000. He was the only Iran-Contra defendant to serve a full prison term, a distinction that highlighted the disparity in accountability: while senior officials like Caspar Weinberger and Clair George were pardoned by President Bush, and others like Oliver North had convictions overturned on technicalities, Clines, a mid-level operative, did actual prison time. Clines died in 2013.

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Controversies & Concerns

Related Investigations (1)

Known Associates & Connections

Sources & Documentation

3 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports