Three people — two active-duty U.S. soldiers from Washington state and a former soldier from Oregon — were arrested this week for allegedly leaking classified military information to contacts in China. According to federal court documents, this exchange of sensitive data happened as recently as December.
Sgt. Jian Zhao, stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington, is accused of sending about 20 government hard drives — some labeled “secret” — along with military documents about missile-launch technology and U.S. military exercises in the Indo-Pacific region.
In a separate case, 1st Lt. Li Tian, also from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, allegedly worked with former U.S. soldier Ruoyu Duan from Oregon. Prosecutors say they stole and sold information on U.S. weapons systems like the Bradley and Stryker armored vehicles. Duan reportedly received payments from unidentified contacts in China and passed money to other military personnel with security clearances.
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While only Zhao and Tian have been officially charged so far, prosecutors suggest a larger scheme might be at play. U.S. officials, including the FBI and the attorney general’s office, have linked these actions to Beijing’s efforts to gather American military intelligence.
Attorney General Pamela J. Bondi didn’t mince words, calling the accused traitors and pledging they would face swift justice. FBI Director Kash Patel also promised to crack down on any attempts to steal U.S. defense secrets.
Prosecutors allege Zhao received at least $15,000 between July and December 2024, exchanging messages with a contact in Changchun, China. Zhao reportedly mailed around 20 hard drives overseas and even offered missile-related data for thousands of dollars. He also allegedly scanned classified documents on missile technology and military exercises from his office during a weekend.
The case involving Tian and Duan shows a similar pattern. Tian allegedly used his security clearance to collect sensitive military manuals and intelligence, which Duan then sold to Chinese buyers. Court documents detail how Tian took photos of his computer screen at the base and uploaded data to Google Drive for easy sharing.
These arrests reflect an ongoing effort by Chinese intelligence networks to recruit U.S. service members for military secrets. The Justice Department has charged multiple people in similar cases over the last two years, exposing a growing threat to U.S. national security.
