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Two active-duty U.S. Army soldiers and 1 erstwhile worker were arrested successful Oregon connected Thursday for their alleged roles successful gathering and sending delicate accusation to individuals successful China, the Department of Justice said.
The accused are Jian Zhao and Li Tian, who were stationed astatine Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and erstwhile worker Ruoyo Duan.
All 3 are charged with conspiring to perpetrate bribery and theft of authorities property. Zhao is facing further charges of conspiring to get and transmit nationalist defence accusation to an idiosyncratic not authorized to person it.
"The defendants arrested contiguous are accused of betraying our country, actively moving to weaken America’s defence capabilities and empowering our adversaries successful China," said Attorney General Pam Bondi. "They volition look swift, severe, and broad justice."
US ARMY SOLDIER CHARGED OVER ALLEGED HACKING OF TRUMP, HARRIS PHONE RECORDS
The Department of Justice announced indictments against 3 U.S. Army soldiers – 2 active-duty and 1 erstwhile – for their alleged roles successful gathering and selling delicate accusation to China. (Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Duan and Tian are accused of conspiring with each different to "surreptitiously stitchery delicate subject accusation related to the United States Army's operational capabilities" from Nov. 28, 2021, to astatine slightest Dec. 19, 2024, the DOJ said. Information included that of method manuals and subject limb systems, specifically Bradley and Stryker U.S. Army warring vehicles.
Active-duty Army serviceman Tian was tasked with gathering the supra accusation for erstwhile worker Duan successful instrumentality for money, the DOJ said.
Zhao, an active-duty Army proviso sergeant, allegedly began conspiring to get and nonstop nationalist defence accusation to radical successful China sometime successful July 2024.
"Specifically, Zhao was charged for his conspiracy to collect and transmit respective classified hard drives, including hard drives marked ‘SECRET’ and ‘TOP SECRET,’ negotiating with individuals based successful China for their sale, and agreeing to nonstop the classified hard drives to the individuals successful China," according to the DOJ.
Attorney General Bondi said the 3 men charged "are accused of betraying our country" successful an effort to empower China. (AP)
He allegedly received astatine slightest $10,000 successful speech for the classified hard drives.
He is besides accused of conspiring to merchantability a machine stolen from the U.S. authorities and delicate subject documents and information, including accusation related to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and military readiness successful the lawsuit of a struggle with China. Zhao allegedly accepted astir $5,000 successful payments for the aforementioned items.
"Zhao is alleged to person violated his duties arsenic a U.S. Army Soldier and nationalist authoritative to support delicate subject accusation successful speech for money," the DOJ said.
Two of the men accused are Jian Zhao and Li Tian, who were some stationed astatine Joint Base Lewis-McChord successful Washington state. (Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
Mike Herrington, Special Agent successful Charge of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office, described the behaviour of each 3 arsenic "unconscionable."
"These arrests should nonstop a connection to would-be spies that we and our partners person the volition and the quality to find you, way you down, and clasp you to account," Herrington said. "Protecting the nation’s secrets, particularly those indispensable to sphere our subject vantage and support our troops, is 1 of the FBI’s apical priorities."
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FBI Director Kash Patel said the men volition "face American justice" aft "stealing America's defence quality capabilities and empowering adversaries similar China successful betrayal of our country."
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