In 1995 it was reported he had received money from the Soviet Union in the 1940s and was later used by spies for spreading "disinformation". The claims first came to light after the 1982 defection of Oleg Gordievsky. Although MI6 did not think Foot was a "spy or conscious agent", it accepted Gordievsky's claim he was classed by the Soviets as an "agent" and "confidential contact".