Ex-U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber, Who Prosecuted Russians For War Crimes, Found Dead At 43

Former U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber, who led high-profile national security prosecutions, was found dead at the age of 43, Virginia authorities confirmed Saturday. Aber, who formerly served as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, oversaw major cases involving intelligence leaks, war crimes and efforts to prevent sensitive U.S. technology from falling into Russian hands. She stepped down earlier this year following the inauguration of President Donald Trump.

Authorities responded to a call just after 9 a.m. on Beverly Drive in Alexandria, where they found Aber unresponsive. No official cause of death has been released, and an investigation is ongoing. Aber, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, had been one of the leading federal prosecutors in the country, overseeing a staff of approximately 300 attorneys handling the nation’s most sensitive cases.

During her tenure, she played a key role in the prosecution of individuals charged with war crimes in Ukraine, including four Russian-linked individuals accused of unlawful confinement and torture of a U.S. national. She was also instrumental in the indictment of a Virginia-based company and its executives for allegedly illegally shipping sensitive American technology to Russia. In another major case, she pursued cyber criminals involved in complex financial fraud schemes, emphasizing that law enforcement would not allow illicit activity to go unchecked.

Aber had long been vocal about the need to protect national security and hold accountable those who violate laws designed to prevent foreign adversaries from exploiting American resources. “We must not allow critical systems and technologies to be transferred to anyone who may use the, against America and our global partners,” she said in one of her statements.

Attorney General Pam Bondi called Aber’s death “deeply tragic” and expressed condolences to her family. Erik Siebert, the current U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, described Aber as an “irreplaceable” leader and mentor.

Authorities have not released further details regarding the circumstances of her death.