The operation was announced by FBI Director Kash Patel in a joint investigation with Attorney General Pam Bondi.
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Three members of the United States Army, including two active-duty soldiers and a former soldier, were arrested on Thursday after being accused of selling military secrets to buyers in China, according to the Department of Justice.
The active-duty soldiers, Jian Zhao and Li Tian, were stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state. Zhao was a supply sergeant for the 17th Field Artillery Brigade, while Tian held the position of health services administrator.
The former soldier, Ruoyu Duan, originally from Hillsboro, Oregon, served in the United States Army between 2013 and 2017.
The three were charged with conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property. Zhao also faces charges of obtaining and transmitting national defense information to a person not authorized to receive it. The indictment was filed in two different federal courts: the Western District of Washington and the District of Oregon.
Los acusados se encontraban destinados a la Base McChord
According to the indictment filed in the Western District of Washington, Zhao, who managed more than USD 55 million in Army property, was accused of selling nearly two dozen classified hard drives, marked as "Secret" and "Top Secret," along with sensitive documents related to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
These materials were sold to buyers in China, including an accomplice residing in Changchun, China. Zhao also allegedly obtained and sold information related to the United States military's preparedness in the event of a conflict with China. According to the indictment, Zhao received payments totaling at least 15,000 dollars since August 2024.
Meanwhile, the indictment in the District of Oregon alleged that, between November 2021 and at least December 2024, Duan and Tian conspired to steal and transmit sensitive information about the operational capabilities of the United States Army, including technical manuals.
Tian, who was also stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, allegedly sent links to Duan containing sensitive information about the United States Army's weapons systems, such as the Bradley and Stryker combat vehicles.
Los acusados vendieron secretos militares relacionados con armamento, vehículos y entrenamiento a las fuerzas chinas
The accusations reflect a series of high treason actions that, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi, jeopardized the United States' defense capabilities and empowered China's adversaries.
"Today's defendants are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken the United States' defensive capabilities and empower our adversaries in China," Bondi said. She also stated that the defendants will face "swift, severe, and complete justice."
FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized that the defendants' behavior can't be tolerated among members of the United States Armed Forces who are entrusted with protecting sensitive information, and that the agency will continue its investigation to uncover attempts to steal military information.
He also thanked the close collaboration with Army military intelligence to dismantle this operation.
La fiscal general de Estados Unidos aseguró que los acusados enfrentarán todo el peso de la justicia
The case was investigated by the FBI and the United States Army Counterintelligence Command. In a statement, Brigadier General Rhett R. Cox, commander of the Counterintelligence Command, noted that the arrests underscore the persistent and growing foreign intelligence threat faced by the armed forces and the nation.
He reiterated that the Army will continue to work to hold those who choose personal gain over duty to the nation accountable and reminded all members of the force of the importance of increasing vigilance and reporting suspicious activities.
El general de brigada Coz señaló a los miembros de las fuerzas armadas que deben reportar este tipo de actividades sospechosas
This case adds to other recent incidents in which members of the United States Armed Forces have been accused of sharing sensitive information with other countries, primarily China.
In March 2024, an army sergeant was accused of leaking classified information about the army's most advanced weapons to a foreigner claiming to live in Hong Kong, in exchange for USD 42,000.
In August 2023, two Navy sailors were accused of sharing sensitive military information, one of whom allegedly sent blueprints of a United States radar system in Japan, while a National Guard member was arrested in April for posting classified documents on social media.
El director del FBI mencionó que estas actitudes no serán toleradas
