A US Navy sailor has been arrested on national security charges after pleading guilty on Tuesday to accepting nearly $15,000 in bribes from a Chinese intelligence officer.
Espionage Charges
After originally pleading not guilty, Petty Officer Wenheng “Thomas” Zhao admitted on Tuesday that he had “engaged in a corrupt scheme to collect and transmit sensitive US military information to the intelligence officer in violation of his official duties,” per a Department of Justice statement.
According to a plea agreement filed in federal court in Los Angeles, Zhao pleaded guilty to conspiracy and receiving a bribe and was charged with providing photographs of unclassified US military information to Chinese intelligence.
Court documents cited by US officials revealed that the sailor admitted sharing plans for US military exercises in the Indo-Pacific region with his Chinese handler, in addition to operational orders, electrical diagrams, and blueprints for a radar system on a US military base in Okinawa, Japan. The 26-year-old was arrested in August.
Zhao, who worked at Naval Base Ventura County in California, now faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, pending a final sentence from a judge.
A lawyer representing Zhao, as well as the Chinese government, did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.
US Attorney Martin Estrada of the Central District of California said Zhao “betrayed his country and the men and women of the US Navy by accepting bribes from a foreign adversary.”
Past Espionage Activities
The US has long accused China of conducting an extensive espionage campaign and cyberattacks, a charge that Beijing has repeatedly rejected.
Last year, it was reported that the Chinese military reportedly enlisted former pilots from Western nations to help enhance its military’s fighter jet flying capabilities in case of a possible conflict with the US.
Among other capabilities, the programme aimed to improve the People’s Liberation Army’s ability to fly aircraft from aircraft carriers.
US Sailor Admits to Leaking Classified Military Information to China
Petty Officer Thomas Zhao admitted on Tuesday that he had “engaged in a corrupt scheme to collect and transmit sensitive US military information” to Chinese intelligence officers.
October 11, 2023
IMAGE SOURCE: Dave Getzschman/The Ventura County Star via APCars enter Naval Base Ventura County, on 25 August, 2005 in Ventura County, California.