Two active duty and one former Army soldier were arrested for stealing sensitive U.S. military information and selling it to foreign nations like China.
The arrests came after Jian Zhao and Li Tian, active-duty U.S. Army soldiers stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and Ruoyu Duan, a former U.S. Army soldier, were separately indicted.
“Tian and Duan were charged in the District of Oregon for conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property,” according to a Department of Justice press release.
“Zhao was charged in the Western District of Washington for conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information to an individual not authorized to receive it, and also for bribery and theft of government property,” the press release continues.
BREAKING: I can now report that today the FBI, along with our interagency partners led by @AGPamBondi, arrested two active duty U.S. Army soldiers and one former U.S. Army soldier for theft of government property and a bribery scheme.
These individuals have been charged with…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) March 7, 2025
The Oregon indictment says that between Nov. 28th, 2021 and Dec. 19th, 2024, Duan and Tian “conspired with each other to surreptitiously gather sensitive military information related to the United States Army’s operational capabilities, including technical manuals and other sensitive information.”
Tian, the active-duty soldier, collected the information — mainly data about “U.S. military weapon systems, including information related to the Bradley and Stryker U.S. Army fighting vehicles” — and then sold it to Duan, the former Army soldier.
The Washington indictment says that between July 24th and the date of Zhao’s arrest, he “conspired … to obtain and transmit national defense information to individuals based in China.”
“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,” the press release notes.
In exchange for the hard drives, he received at least $10,000, after which he proceeded to try to sell an “encryption capable computer” that he’d stolen from his employer, the U.S. government, as well as sensitive military documents and intel.
“It’s for two functions,” he reportedly wrote to his contacts in China about the computer. “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.”
According to the press release, the intel included “information related to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), and information related to U.S. military readiness in the event of a conflict with the People’s Republic of China.”
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) March 7, 2025
In a statement, Attorney General Pam Bondi vowed tough justice for the trio.
“The defendants arrested today are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken America’s defense capabilities and empowering our adversaries in China,” she said. “They will face swift, severe, and comprehensive justice.”
FBI Director Kash Patel meanwhile vowed to continue searching after and prosecuting traitors such as these.
“While bribery and corruption have thrived under China’s Communist Party, this behavior cannot be tolerated with our service members who are entrusted with sensitive military information, including national defense information,” he said.
“The FBI and our partners will continue to work to uncover attempts by those in China to steal sensitive U.S. military information and hold all accountable who play a role in betraying our national defense,” he added.
Mike Herrington, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office, described the behavior of the three suspects as “unconscionable.”
“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,” he added. “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.”
Regarding Zhao, prosecutors asked a judge to detain him before trial because of emails he’d sent in which he’d “repeatedly” said he wants to move back to China, according to ABC News.
“Damn, I really want to go back to China,” he wrote in one email.
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V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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