FBI Arrests Soldier for Allegedly Selling US Army Intel to China

By Staff, Agencies

The FBI arrested a US soldier on Thursday for allegedly selling classified information to individuals based in China, according to the Department of Justice.

Jian Zhao, an active-duty Army supply sergeant stationed at a military base in Washington state, is accused of stealing classified hard drives and a government-issued computer to sell to unspecified individuals in China.

Prosecutors said the thefts began in July 2024, with Zhao receiving at least $15,000 for the stolen materials.

A grand jury indicted Zhao on charges of conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information to unauthorized individuals, along with bribery and theft of government property.

Zhao and his accomplices were indicted for knowingly and unlawfully conspiring to obtain and transmit documents, writings, photographs, instruments, appliances, and notes related to the United States' national defense.

The FBI also arrested two other suspects, identified as active-duty US soldier Li Tian and former soldier Ruoyu Duan, on charges of theft of government property and bribery.

Investigators claim Tian gathered sensitive military information about the US Army's operational capabilities and sold it to Duan for an undisclosed amount between November 2021 and December 2024.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the arrests, accusing them of betraying the US, weakening defense capabilities, and empowering China adversaries, promising swift justice.