US arrests active military personnel for selling classified information to China
The United States has arrested two current US Army soldiers and one former soldier on charges of selling military secrets to communist China. According to CNN, the information transferred included data on HIMARS missile systems, Bradley fighting vehicles and Stryker armoured personnel carriers.
Here's What We Know
The suspects are US Army soldiers Jian Zhao and Li Tian, who were stationed at Lewis-McChord Base in Washington state, and former soldier Ruoyi Duan, who served in the US military from 2013 to 2017. Zhao was a supply sergeant in the 17th Field Artillery Brigade, and Tian was a medical service administrator.
According to the indictment, Zhao sold nearly two dozen hard drives marked "Secret" or "Top Secret", as well as classified documents on US military preparedness in the event of a conflict with China. For this, he has received at least $15,000 since August 2024.
As for Duan and Tian, the indictment states that they conspired from November 2021 until 19 December 2024. Their goal was to steal and transmit classified military information about the US Army's operational capabilities, including technical manuals. Interestingly, Tian also sent Duan links to Google Drive accounts that contained classified information about Bradley BMPs and Stryker APCs.
"The defendants arrested today are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken America's defences and empowering our adversaries in China. They will face swift, severe and comprehensive justice," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
Source: CNN
