He was recruited as a spy by Colonel Vassily Denissenko, the Soviet air attaché. He never accepted money for the information he passed to the Soviets; his motivation appeared to be the result of bitterness at being passed over for promotion. He was sentenced to a prison term of eighteen years but served only twelve due to good conduct. After his release in 1988, he vigorously attempted to clear his name, and commentators continued to express doubt about the extent of his guilt.[citation needed] Jeanmaire died 1992 in Bern.