Two U.S. Army soldiers and one veteran have been arrested and charged with stealing classified military information and selling it to individuals in China, according to the Department of Justice and FBI Director Kash Patel.
The suspects, identified as active-duty soldiers Sgt. Jian Zhao and 1st Lt. Li Tian from Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, along with former soldier Ruoyo Duan who served from 2013 to 2017, face multiple federal charges including conspiracy, 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.”
Patel issued his own statement —
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
According to court documents, Duan and Tian allegedly conspired between November 28, 2021, and December 19, 2024, to “surreptitiously gather sensitive military information related to the United States Army’s operational capabilities.” The information included technical manuals and details about military weapon systems, specifically Bradley and Stryker U.S. Army fighting vehicles.
Prosecutors allege that Tian, a health services administrator, delivered the secret information to Duan in exchange for payment.
In a separate but related case, Zhao, a supply sergeant for the 17th Field Artillery Brigade, allegedly began conspiring in July 2024 to obtain and transmit national defense information to individuals in China. He faces additional charges of conspiring to obtain and transmit classified information to unauthorized individuals.
“Zhao has repeatedly sold sensitive military and national defense information, including an encrypted hard drive and 20 classified hard drives, to co-conspirators operating on behalf of the People’s Republic of China,” according to the charges filed by prosecutors.
The indictments allege Zhao received at least $15,000 for selling the classified materials, including $10,000 for classified hard drives marked “SECRET” and “TOP SECRET” and approximately $5,000 for a stolen government computer and sensitive military documents related to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and U.S. military readiness plans regarding potential conflict with China.
FBI officials revealed that investigators intercepted communications between Zhao and the buyers that showed negotiations over highly sensitive materials.
In one exchange, Zhao allegedly offered to sell “ten (hard drives) with red and highest-classification orange labels” for $8,000. After sending photographs of sensitive military documents, Zhao reportedly wrote to the Chinese Communist Party-linked buyer that he had a, “Very sensitive document. Super difficult to get. It’s Brigade level.”
The buyer allegedly responded that it “is way top level (we) must be very very careful.”
Zhao was arrested Thursday in Lacey, Thurston County, by FBI agents. The three defendants face serious penalties if convicted: up to 15 years for conspiracy, 10 years for bribery, and 5 years for theft.
“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,” said Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office. “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.”
Patel added that 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.”
The arrests are the latest in a series of similar cases involving Joint Base Lewis-McChord personnel. In 2023, the FBI arrested Army Sgt. Joseph Daniel Schmidt, who is currently awaiting trial on charges of attempting to deliver national defense information after allegedly reaching out to Chinese security services.