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U.S. Army Soldiers Arrested for Selling Military Secrets to China
Three individuals, including two active-duty U.S. Army soldiers and a former service member, were arrested Thursday for allegedly selling military secrets to Chinese buyers, the Department of Justice announced.
The active-duty soldiers, identified as Jian Zhao and Li Tian, were stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. Zhao, a battery supply sergeant, was assigned to the 17th Field Artillery Brigade, while Tian served as a health services administrator.
The third suspect, Ruoyu Duan from Hillsboro, Oregon, previously served in the Army from 2013 to 2017. Tian and Duan have been charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and theft of government property. Zhao faces the same charges but was also indicted for unlawfully obtaining and transmitting national defense information to an unauthorized individual.
The indictment filed in the US District Court for Western Washington on Wednesday alleges that Zhao, who oversaw more than $55 million in Army property, sold nearly two dozen classified hard drives labeled “Secret” or “Top Secret.” He also allegedly provided sensitive US military documents and information on High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) to buyers in China, including a “co-conspirator” in Changchun.
The indictment also alleges that Zhao obtained and sold information regarding the U.S. military’s readiness for a potential conflict with China.
Records show that he received at least $15,000 in payments starting in August 2024.
Meanwhile, a separate indictment in the U.S. District of Oregon states that from November 2021 to at least December 19, 2024, Duan and Tian conspired to steal and transmit sensitive military data, including technical manuals detailing the U.S. Army’s operational capabilities.
The indictment further alleges that Tian provided Duan with access to Google Drive accounts containing sensitive information on U.S. military weapons systems, including details about Bradley and Stryker U.S. Army fighting vehicles.
Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized the gravity of the charges, stating, “The defendants arrested today are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken America’s defense capabilities and empowering our adversaries in China. They will face swift, severe, and comprehensive justice.”
W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office, reinforced the warning: “These arrests should send a message to would-be spies that we and our partners have the will and the ability to find you, track you down, and hold you to account.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Army Intelligence Command.
These arrests are part of a growing trend of military personnel being charged with leaking sensitive information to foreign entities, including China.
In March 2024, a U.S. Army sergeant was accused of providing classified intelligence on the military’s most advanced weaponry to a foreign national claiming to reside in Hong Kong, allegedly receiving $42,000 in return.
Similarly, in August 2023, two U.S. Navy sailors were arrested for passing sensitive military data to a foreign government—one allegedly leaking blueprints of a U.S. radar system in Japan. Additionally, in April 2023, a National Guardsman was apprehended for allegedly sharing a trove of classified documents on social media.
According to CNN Report Credit Karina Tsui
