An active-duty U.S. Army soldier stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord was arrested Thursday after being indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of “conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information” to individuals in China, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reported.
Another active-duty JBLM solder and a former soldier also were arrested after being indicted on charges of “conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property,” the office said in a news release.
“The defendants arrested today are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken America’s defense capabilities and empowering our adversaries in China,” U.S. Attorney General Pamela J. Bondi said in the news release. “They will face swift, severe, and comprehensive justice.”
An indictment in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington alleges that beginning in July 2024 and continuing to the time of his arrest, active-duty solider Jian Zhao, a U.S. Army supply sergeant, conspired with others “to obtain and transmit national defense information to individuals based in China,” according to a news release. “Zhao is further alleged to have committed bribery and theft of government property.”
The allegations against Zhao contend he conspired “to collect and transmit several classified hard drives, including hard drives marked ‘SECRET’ and ‘TOP SECRET’” and negotiated their sale to individuals in China, receiving a minimum of $10,000.
“Zhao is further alleged to have conspired to sell an encryption capable computer that was stolen from the U.S. Government, and sensitive U.S. military documents and information, including 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,” according to the news release.
An indictment in U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon alleges that beginning in November 2021 and continuing until December 2024, former soldier Ruoyu Duan and active-duty soldier Li Tian conspired to gather “sensitive military information,” including technical manuals. The materials included information on the Bradley and Stryker fighting vehicles. Tian is alleged to have gathered the materials and passed them on to Duan, the news release states.
The case was investigated by the FBI Portland and Seattle field offices and U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, according to the news release. Officials from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Seattle field office, CBP Office of Professional Responsibility and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service assisted.
“It is unconscionable that a person who wears the uniform of a U.S. Army soldier would betray our country and the trust of his fellow soldiers,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office. “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. 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.”
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