Three U.S. Soldiers Arrested in Espionage Case Involving Classified Military Information
Washington, D.C. – Three U.S. Army soldiers, including one former serviceman, were arrested on charges of espionage and conspiracy to steal and sell classified military information, federal authorities announced today. The arrests took place at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, a key military installation in Washington state, following an extensive investigation by the FBI and U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command.
The suspects, Ian Zhao, Li Tian, and Ruoyu Duan, face serious charges, including bribery, theft of government property, and unauthorized transmission of national defense information. The indictments, filed in the District of Oregon and the Western District of Washington, outline an elaborate scheme involving the sale of sensitive U.S. military data to individuals based in China.
FBI Director Kash Patel reinforced the severity of the case, stating, “The FBI, alongside Army Counterintelligence, is fully committed to uncovering and preventing espionage attempts aimed at compromising U.S. military capabilities. We will hold those accountable who seek to endanger our national defense.”
