Soldiers Indicted For Alleged Roles In Selling Information To China
The arrest of two active-duty U.S. Army soldiers and a former soldier on charges of espionage and bribery underscores a chilling reality: foreign adversaries continue their relentless pursuit of America’s military secrets, and in some cases, they find willing collaborators within U.S. ranks.
The Department of Justice has identified the accused as Jian Zhao and Li Tian, both stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, along with former soldier Ruoyu Duan.
The charges against them include conspiracy to commit bribery and theft of government property, with Zhao facing additional counts related to the transmission of classified national defense information. The case, as detailed by Attorney General Pam Bondi, represents a direct and dangerous breach of military security.
The allegations reveal a troubling pattern of calculated betrayal. According to the DOJ, from November 2021 to December 2024, Duan and Tian worked together to gather and transmit sensitive military data, specifically focusing on technical manuals and operational capabilities of U.S. Army fighting vehicles like the Bradley and Stryker. Tian, an active-duty officer, allegedly provided this information to Duan in exchange for financial compensation.
Zhao’s case is even more damning. The DOJ reports that since July 2024, Zhao actively conspired to obtain and sell classified military data to individuals in China.
His actions allegedly included negotiating the sale of classified hard drives—some marked SECRET and TOP SECRET—as well as stolen government equipment and critical intelligence regarding the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). In exchange, Zhao reportedly received at least $15,000 in payments.
FBI Director Kash Patel made it clear that the betrayal of these soldiers would not go unpunished. "These men will face American justice after stealing America's defense intelligence capabilities and empowering adversaries like China in betrayal of our country," Patel stated.
The gravity of these charges extends beyond the individuals involved. Espionage cases of this nature expose vulnerabilities within the U.S. military and highlight the persistent threat of foreign intelligence operations targeting American personnel. That the alleged perpetrators were embedded within the armed forces, entrusted with safeguarding national security, makes this case all the more alarming.
Special Agent Mike Herrington of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office put it bluntly: “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.”