BY C STONE | STONE NEWS NETWORKS ||| UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | OREGON
Source: Fox
Two active duty soldiers and one former soldier have been charged on Thursday for their roles in gathering and selling secret information to individuals in China.
The accused Jian Zhao and Li Tian, who were at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Also charged is a former soldier named Ruoya Duan.
"The defendants arrested today are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken America’s defense capabilities and empowering our adversaries in China," said Attorney General Pam Bondi. "They will face swift, severe, and comprehensive justice."
The accused were involved in sensitive information gathering from November 28, 2021 through to December 19, 2024 - according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Tian was actively in duty and gathering information to sell to former soldier Duan - in return for money.
Attorney General Bondi said the three men charged "are accused of betraying our country" in an effort to empower China. (AP)
"Specifically, Zhao was charged for his conspiracy to collect and transmit several classified hard drives, including hard drives marked ‘SECRET’ and ‘TOP SECRET,’ negotiating with individuals based in China for their sale, and agreeing to send the classified hard drives to the individuals in China," according to the DOJ.
He is accused of receiving $10,000 in cash for classified hard drives, and a government computer was stolen. Zhao had received $5,000 in payments for the information regarding sensitive military rocket systems.
"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," Herrington said. "Protecting the nation’s secrets, especially those necessary to preserve our military advantage and protect our troops, is one of the FBI’s top priorities."
It is hoped these traitors to the U.S. government are given the maximum sentence possible.
Comments
Post a Comment