(Image Credit: IMAGN) Paratroopers board a C-130 for a jump during the annual Randy Oler Memorial Operation Toy Drop at Fort Liberty on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. The annual event, hosted by U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne), had over 3600 paratroopers making the jump.
JOINT BASE LEWIS MCCHORD, WA — An active-duty U.S. Army sergeant stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord has been charged with repeatedly selling sensitive military and national defense secrets to individuals working on behalf of China, according to newly unsealed court records.
Jian Zhao, a battery supply sergeant, is accused by federal prosecutors of communicating with a co-conspirator from July to December of last year to sell an encrypted military computer and 20 classified hard drives. He faces charges of conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information, as well as bribery and theft of government property.
Simultaneously, federal prosecutors in Oregon have charged another active-duty U.S. Army soldier, Li Tian, also stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, for allegedly sharing sensitive information related to the military’s weapons systems with Ruoyu Duan, a former U.S. Army soldier. Tian allegedly shared documents related to Bradley and Stryker U.S. Army fighting vehicles. Both Tian and Duan were arrested Thursday and charged with conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property.
“The defendants arrested today are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken America’s defense capabilities and empowering our adversaries in China,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement.
According to court documents, Zhao allegedly received $1,000 for the encrypted computer and discussed selling classified hard drives, some marked with “secret” and “top-secret” level classifications, to buyers in China. He allegedly received at least $7,500 for the hard drives. Zhao also allegedly sold photographs of sensitive military documents taken at his base, receiving $6,500 for two documents.
Prosecutors detailed Zhao’s ties to China and his expressed desire to return to the country, citing communications where he said, “Damn it” “I really want to go back to China.” They deemed his actions “particularly reprehensible” and argued he is a flight risk, requesting he be detained. They also expressed concern that Zhao may have taken additional sensitive information to an unknown location.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated on X that the individuals were charged with “stealing America’s defense intelligence capabilities and empowering adversaries like China.”
