2 Us Soldiers Accused Of Selling Sensitive Military Information

Two active-duty U.S. soldiers stationed in Washington state and one former soldier were arrested on bribery and theft charges after being accused of selling sensitive information to China, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). 

Jian Zhao and Li Tian, Army soldiers stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and Ruoyu Duan, a former Army soldier, were arrested on Thursday after a federal grand juries in Washington and Oregon indicted them. 

Tian and Duan were charged with conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property, the DOJ said in a Thursday news release. Zhao was charged with conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information to a person not authorized to receive it, bribery and theft of government property.

“The defendants arrested today are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken America’s defense capabilities and empowering our adversaries in China,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. “They will face swift, severe, and comprehensive justice.”

The indictment out of Oregon alleges that around Nov. 28, 2021, Tian and Duan conspired to “surreptitiously gather sensitive military information” regarding the Army’s operational capabilities. Tian would then give the information to Duan in exchange for money. 

Tian was gathering information about Bradley and Stryker Army fighting vehicles, the DOJ said. 

Zhao is accused of conspiring with other individuals, beginning around July 2024, to obtain and transfer national defense information to people based in China. Zhao was also alleged to have committed theft and bribery of government property, according to the DOJ. 

Zhao was also charged with efforts to collect and distribute several classified hard drives, including some marked “secret” and “top secret,” while negotiation with people in China. 

In exchange for the sale of the hard drives, Zhao would get at least $10,000, according to prosecutors.

Zhao also faces allegations of selling an encryption-capable computer that was stolen, including information regarding the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), a rocket launcher that was developed in the 1990s, according to the DOJ. 

“Zhao is alleged to have violated his duties as a U.S. Army Soldier and public official to protect sensitive military information in exchange for money,” the DOJ statement said. “In total, Zhao is alleged to have corruptly received and accepted payments totaling at least $15,000.”