Instead, it has been suggested, he was more interested in his significant value to the Russian agents to whom he passed his information on to (Court TV). In short, Hanssen felt an elevated level of importance; one that the FBI was incapable or, in his eyes, unwilling to provide for him. As a consequence, Hanssen became a rather devastating mole within the FBI, and was largely unsuspected -- because of his background -- until his brother-in-law, who also worked for the FBI, discovered large amounts of cash within Hanssen's home. Although the reasons Hanssen and Ames became double-agents were not identical, precisely what made them ideal moles within their respective organizations was the fact that these reasons were not obvious to those around them. They were more psychological in nature than the most common reasons for treason and betrayal. Ames, simply, wanted to please his wife with the best possible lifestyle his skills could provide. Since he apparently lacked any serious loyalties to anyone or anything else, it was easy to tell himself...

Hanssen, on the other hand, lacked the popularity and acceptance from his peers that he desperately sought throughout his career. As a result, he found that he could be a significantly more valuable asset to the Russians, and could simultaneously earn more money. Overall, it was the internal structure of these intelligence organizations that provided both a haven for and a reason for Ames and Hanssen's betrayals. From Ames' and Hanssen's perspective, they were not paid enough money, and they were not appreciated as much as they should have been.
Works Cited

Court TV. "Crime Library: Criminal Minds and Methods: the Story." CourtTV.com, 2007. Available:

http://www.crimelibrary.com/terrorists_spies/spies/ames/1.html.

Court TV. "Crime Library: Criminal Minds and Methods: Switching Teams." CourtTV.com, 2007. Available:

http://www.crimelibrary.com/terrorists_spies/spies/hanssen/8.html.