U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the defendants will face ‘swift, severe, and comprehensive justice’ for the alleged crimes.
Two active-duty U.S. Army soldiers and a former soldier were arrested on Thursday in connection with an alleged scheme to sell military information to buyers in China, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The two soldiers were identified as Jian Zhao and Li Tian, both stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state. U.S. authorities also arrested former soldier Ruoyu Duan.
Tian and Duan were charged in Oregon with conspiracy to commit bribery and theft of government property. Zhao, a battery supply sergeant, was charged in Washington with conspiring to transmit defense information to buyers in China, bribery, and theft.
Prosecutors alleged that Zhao stole several classified hard drives from the U.S. Army, including those marked ‘SECRET’ and ‘TOP SECRET,’ and negotiated their sale to individuals based in China.
In his communication with a co-conspirator, Zhao said that he didn’t know what the drives contained but assured the person they were “definitely government’s” and that “there could be intelligence or has nothing,” according to his indictment.
Related Stories
Zhao was also accused of selling an “encryption capable computer” and sensitive military documents related to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and information concerning U.S. military readiness in the event of a potential conflict with China. Prosecutors alleged that since about July 2024, Zhao received payments totaling at least $15,000 from these illegal sales.
According to his indictment, in November 2024, Zhao allegedly took photos of “a sensitive document pertaining to a military exercise simulating a conflict with PRC”—referring to the People’s Republic of China—and other classified materials from his government-issued computer. He later tried to sell these photos to the co-conspirator.
In a separate case, Tian and Duan were accused of conspiring with one another to gather sensitive military information. Prosecutors found that between November 2021 and December 2024, Tian allegedly shared information related to U.S. military weapon systems—including the Bradley and Stryker U.S. Army fighting vehicles—with Duan in exchange for payment.
It is unclear whether the three defendants have been appointed legal representation.
Brig. Gen. Rhett Cox, commanding general of the Army Counterintelligence Command, said, “These arrests underscore the persistent and increasing foreign intelligence threat facing our Army and nation.”
Cox called on all Army members to increase their vigilance and report any suspicious activity within the military.
Andrew Thornebrooke contributed to this report.