Three individuals – including two active-duty United States Army soldiers and one former soldier – were arrested last Thursday for allegedly gathering and sending sensitive information to individuals in China. According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ), Jian Zhao and Li Tian, both active-duty soldiers stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and former soldier Ruoyu Duan, were arrested after being indicted by federal grand juries in the District of Oregon and the Western District of Washington.
All three were charged with conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property. Tian and Duan were charged in the District of Oregon, while Zhao was also charged in the Western District of Washington for conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information to an individual not authorized to receive it.
“The defendants arrested today are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken America’s defense capabilities and empowering our adversaries in China,” said Attorney General Pamela J. Bondi on Thursday. “They will face swift, severe, and comprehensive justice.”
Cases Years in the Making
While Bondi was recently confirmed by the United States Senate, the investigation actually goes back to the prior administration. According to the indictment in the District of Oregon, Duan and Tian along with others, known and unknown to the grand jury began on or about Nov. 28, 2021, and continuing to at least on or about Dec. 19, 2024, to conspire with each other to surreptitiously gather sensitive military information related to the United States Army’s operational capabilities.
That reportedly included technical manuals and other sensitive information, while the charges allege that Tian transmitted this information to Duan in return for money, which was in violation of his official duties as an active-duty U.S. Army officer. The information was related to U.S. military weapon systems, notably the M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle and Stryker eight-wheeled armored fighting vehicles.
The indictment in the Western District of Washington alleged that beginning in or about July 2024, and continuing to the date of the arrest, Zhao also conspired with others known and unknown to the grand jury to obtain and transmit national defense information to individuals based in China. Zhao, who as an active-duty U.S. Army Supply Sergeant, is further alleged to have committed bribery and theft of government property.
“Specifically, Zhao was charged for his conspiracy to collect and transmit several classified hard drives, including hard drives marked ‘SECRET’ and ‘TOP SECRET,’ negotiating with individuals based in China for their sale, and agreeing to send the classified hard drives to the individuals in China,” the DoJ explained.
For providing the classified hard drives, Zhao is alleged to have received at least $10,000.
He was also charged for allegedly conspiring to sell an encryption-capable computer that was stolen from the U.S. Government, along with sensitive U.S. military documents and information. That included materials on the U.S. military’s M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), along with other information related to U.S. military readiness in the event of a conflict with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The DoJ charged Zhao with violating his duties as a U.S. Army soldier and public official to protect sensitive military information in exchange for money.
“In total, Zhao is alleged to have corruptly received and accepted payments totaling at least $15,000,” the DoJ added.
“These arrests underscore the persistent and increasing foreign intelligence threat facing our Army and nation,” said Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, Commanding General, Army Counterintelligence Command. “Along with the Department of Justice and FBI, Army Counterintelligence Command will continue to work tirelessly to hold those accountable who irresponsibly and selfishly abandon the Army values and choose personal gain over duty to our nation. We remind all members of the Army team to increase their vigilance and protect our Army by reporting suspicious activity.”
Sailors Given Prison Time
It was just over 14 months ago that a United States Navy sailor was sentenced to more than two years in federal prison for accepting nearly $15,000 in bribes and passing military secrets to a Chinese intelligence officer. Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, aka Thomas Zhao, pleaded guilty in October 2023 to charges of bribery and conspiracy.
Last April, U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Bryce Pedicini, a fire control man, was also convicted for attempted espionage, after being arrested for providing documents to an employee of a foreign government between November 2022 and May 2023. He was sentenced in May 2024 to 18 years in prison.
Another Chinese-born U.S. Navy sailor from California, Jinchao Wei, is facing separate charges in connection with an unrelated alleged plot to pass information to a Chinese intelligence officer. As previously reported, Wei is now facing life in prison after he allegedly revealed sensitive information on U.S. Navy ships. He has pleaded not guilty.
The United States has previously accused China of carrying out an extensive campaign of espionage and cyberattacks – an allegation that Beijing has rejected. The Chinese foreign ministry responded to the allegations claiming to be unaware of any espionage campaign.
These latest arrests highlight that the DoJ will likely take the issue of espionage just as seriously as it had under the previous administration.
“While bribery and corruption have thrived under China’s Communist Party, this behavior cannot be tolerated with our service members who are entrusted with sensitive military information, including national defense information,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI and our partners will continue to work to uncover attempts by those in China to steal sensitive U.S. military information and hold all accountable who play a role in betraying our national defense. The FBI would like to thank U.S. Army Counterintelligence for their close partnership during this investigation.”
