Security News > 2023 > October > US Navy sailor admits selling secret military blueprints to China for $15K

A US Navy service member pleaded guilty yesterday to receiving thousands of dollars in bribes from a Chinese spymaster in exchange for passing on American military secrets.

Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, 26, aka Thomas Zhao, of Monterey Park, California, now faces up to 20 years in prison for two federal felony offenses: conspiring with a People's Republic of China intelligence officer, and receiving a bribe.

According to the US Justice Department and court documents [PDF], Zhao worked at Naval Base Ventura County, located in Port Hueneme, California, and held a US security clearance that gave him access to material up to and including "Secret" data.

In exchange for these illicit payments, Zhao illegally collected and transmitted to a Chinese handler non-public information about US Navy operational security, military training and exercises, and critical infrastructure.

Zhao fessed up to using encrypted communication methods to transmit the military info to the Chinese spy, and then destroyed the evidence to hide his relationship with the foreign intelligence officer.

Late last week, a former US Army sergeant was arrested and charged with two federal felonies related to trading secrets to China after allegedly creating a Word document with the entirely non-suspicious title of "Important Information to Share with Chinese Government." .

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2023/10/11/us_navy_china_spy/