XPost: us.military.army, seattle.politics, or.politics
XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, sac.politics

An active-duty U.S. army sergeant has been charged with repeatedly selling sensitive military and national defense secrets to co-conspirators working
on behalf of China, according to newly unsealed court records.

Jian Zhao, a battery supply sergeant stationed at Joint Base Lewis McChord
in Washington state, is alleged by federal prosecutors to have
communicated with an unnamed co-conspirator from July to December of last
year in order to sell an encrypted military computer and 20 classified
hard drives.

Zhao is charged with conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information as well as bribery and theft of government property.

In addition to Zhao's arrest, federal prosecutors in Oregon have also
charged another active-duty U.S. Army soldier stationed at the same base
who they allege shared sensitive information related to the military's
weapons systems with a former soldier, according to a press release from
the Justice Department.

Li Tian allegedly shared documents that related to Bradley and Stryker
U.S. Army fighting vehicles with Ruoyu Duan, a former U.S. Army soldier.
Both were taken into custody on Thursday and charged with conspiring to
commit bribery and theft of government property, according to the DOJ.

“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. “They will face swift, severe, and comprehensive justice.”

In a post on X, FBI Director Kash Patel said, "These individuals have been charged with stealing America’s defense intelligence capabilities and empowering adversaries like China in betrayal of our country. They will
now face American justice."

In the alleged scheme involving the sale of the encrypted computer,
prosecutors said Zhao was paid $1,000 and told his co-conspirator, "It’s
for two functions. It’s for encryption slot or for hard drive. It’s very
rare now. Hard to find. If you can guarantee both of our safety while
making some money for both of us, sell it. It’s the end of the year.”

Zhao also allegedly engaged in talks with two buyers from China, including
his original co-conspirator, to sell them classified hard drives.

According to prosecutors, red stickers on the hard drives indicated they contained secret-level information while yellow or orange stickers
indicated they contain top-secret level information.

"I have many computer hard drives,” Zhao allegedly said to his co-
conspirator. “It may not be possible to check the contents of the hard
drives. Tomorrow I will check how many are left. Do you understand
unclassified and secret?”

According to prosecutors, Zhao was paid at least $7,500 for selling
multiple hard drives to the buyers, and in October offered additional classified hard drives.

Also in October, prosecutors said Zhao sold sensitive military documents
that he had photographed at his base, which he offered at a starting price
of $3,000 to $4,000 each.

Ultimately, his co-conspirator agreed to a sale of $6,500 for two
documents.

Court documents include surveillance photos of Zhao taking photos of
documents at his desk with a smartphone at the same time prosecutors
alleged he was communicating with his associate.

In a memo asking a judge to detain Zhao before trial, prosecutors detail
Zhao's ties to China and his communications in which he has "repeatedly"
said he wants to move back to the country, telling one person he offered sensitive intelligence to, “Damn it” “I really want to go back to China."

Prosecutors called Zhao's alleged conduct "particularly reprehensible –
selling information vital to the national security for thousands of
dollars" and said it demonstrates Zhao is a flight risk and should be
detained.

Prosecutors said they believe Zhao maintains a warehouse that they have
been unable to locate and has also taken other sensitive information but
do not yet know where that information is or to whom it was sent.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/active-duty-army-soldier-charged-selling- classified-info/story?id=119537927

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