The
United States Treasury Department was successfully penetrated by nearly a dozen Soviet agents or information sources, including
Harold Glasser and his superior,
Harry Dexter White, assistant secretary of the treasury and the second most influential official in the department.
[1][2] In Late May 1941
Vitaly Pavlov, a 25 year-old NKVD officer, approached White and attempted to secure his assistance to influence U.S. policy towards
Japan. White agreed to assist Soviet intelligence in any way he could. The principal function of White was to aid in the infiltration and placement of Soviet operatives within the government, and protecting sources.[
citation needed] When security concerns arose around
Nathan Gregory Silvermaster, White protected him in his sensitive position at the
Board of Economic Warfare. White likewise was a purveyor of information and resources to assist Soviet aims, and agreed to press for release of German occupation currency plates to the Soviet Union. The Soviets later used the plates to print unrestricted sums of money to exchange for U.S. and Allied hard goods.
[15]
In August 1945
Elizabeth Bentley, fearful of assassination by the Soviet MGB, turned herself in to the government.[
citation needed] She implicated many agents and sources in the
Golos and
Silvermaster spy networks, and was the first to accuse
Harry Dexter White of acting on behalf of Soviet interests in releasing occupation plates to Moscow, later confirmed by Soviet archives and former KGB officers.
[5][15]