Headline Roundup • March 8th, 2025
US Army Soldiers Arrested for Allegedly Selling Military Secrets to China
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Three U.S. Army soldiers, including two active-duty and one former, have been arrested for allegedly selling military secrets to buyers in China, according to federal authorities.
The Details: Two active-duty U.S. Army soldiers, Jian Zhao and Li Tian, along with former soldier Ruoyu Duan, were arrested Thursday after federal grand juries indicted them. Zhao is accused of conspiring to sell classified hard drives and sensitive military information to China, while Tian and Duan allegedly conspired to gather and sell U.S. Army operational capabilities data. Both indictments cite violations of their duties and the receipt of significant payments for the information.
The Indictment: From around July 2024 and "continuing through the present," Zhao and others were accused of conspiring together "to obtain and transmit documents, writings, photographs, instruments, appliances and notes relating to the national defense of the United States," the indictment says. Zhao, who managed over $55 million in army property, was accused of selling nearly two dozen classified hard drives labeled "Secret" or "Top Secret," as well as sensitive U.S. military documents and information pertaining to High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) to buyers in China.
Key Quotes: "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 Pam Bondi said in a statement. "They will face swift, severe, and comprehensive justice." FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement: "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."
Featured Coverage of this Story
The U.S. indicted two active-duty U.S. Army soldiers and a former soldier on charges of bribery, theft of government property as well as conspiracy to transmit national defense information. The Justice Department announced the arrests of First Lt. Li Tian, Sgt. Jian Zhao and former soldier Ruoyu Duan.
Tian and Zhao served at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state. Duan previously served in the U.S. Army.
Two US Army soldiers and a former soldier were arrested Thursday, accused in indictments of selling military secrets to buyers in China, according to the Department of Justice.
The two US Army active-duty soldiers were identified as Jian Zhao and Li Tian, stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, in Washington state. Zhao, a battery supply sergeant was assigned to the 17th Field Artillery Brigade and Tian is a health services administrator.
Maria Arefyeva/Getty Images
Three U.S. Army soldiers, two active and one former, were arrested on Thursday for selling sensitive military documents and information to buyers in China.
Li Tian and Ruoyu Duan were charged in Oregon for “conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property,” the Department of Justice said. Jian Zhao was charged in Washington for the same crimes but also for “conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information to an individual not authorized to receive it.” The unauthorized recipients were based in China.
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