The FBI arrested a US soldier on Thursday for allegedly selling classified information to individuals based in China, according to the Department of Justice.

Jian Zhao, an active-duty army supply sergeant stationed at a military base in Washington state, is accused of stealing classified hard drives and a government-issued computer to sell to unspecified individuals in China. Prosecutors said the thefts began in July 2024, with Zhao receiving at least $15,000 for the stolen materials.

A grand jury indicted Zhao on charges of conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information to unauthorized individuals, along with bribery and theft of government property. According to the indictment, Zhao and his accomplices "did knowingly and unlawfully conspire... to obtain and transmit documents, writings, photographs, instruments, appliances, and notes relating to the national defense of the United States to individuals not entitled to receive it."

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The FBI also arrested two other suspects, identified as active-duty US soldier Li Tian and former soldier Ruoyu Duan, on charges of theft of government property and bribery.

Investigators alleged that Tian "gathered sensitive military information related to the United States Army's operational capabilities," particularly regarding US military weapon systems, and sold it to Duan for an undisclosed amount between November 2021 and December 2024.

US Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the actions, stating, "The defendants arrested today are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken America's defense capabilities and empowering our adversaries in China." She vowed they "will face swift, severe, and comprehensive justice."

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