Kash Patel Announces Arrest of Two Active Duty Army Soldiers and Former Soldier for “Stealing America’s Defense Intelligence Capabilities and Empowering Adversaries Like China”

By Jordan Conradson | Mar. 6, 2025 9:20 pm

Kash Patel announced on Thursday night that three individuals have been arrested by the FBI and other agencies “for theft of government property and a bribery scheme.”

According to a DOJ press release, “Jian Zhao, and Li Tian, active-duty U.S. Army soldiers stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, along with Ruoyu Duan, a former U.S. Army soldier, were arrested today following indictments by federal grand juries in the District of Oregon and the Western District of Washington.”

” Tian and Duan were charged in the District of Oregon for conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property. Zhao was charged in the Western District of Washington for conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information to an individual not authorized to receive it, and also for bribery and theft of government property,” the press release states.

Patel said in an X post, “These individuals have been charged with stealing America’s defense intelligence capabilities and empowering adversaries like China in betrayal of our country.”

He added, “They will now face American justice.”

This action aligns with his day-one promise that “anyone that wishes to do harm to our way of life and our citizens here or abroad will face the full wrath of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”

The Department of Justice released the following statement:

One Soldier Charged with Conspiring to Transmit National Defense Information to Individuals Located in China

View the indictment for Jian Zhao.

Jian Zhao, and Li Tian, active-duty U.S. Army soldiers stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, along with Ruoyu Duan, a former U.S. Army soldier, were arrested today following indictments by federal grand juries in the District of Oregon and the Western District of Washington. Tian and Duan were charged in the District of Oregon for conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property. Zhao was charged in the Western District of Washington for conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information to an individual not authorized to receive it, and also for bribery and theft of government property.

“The defendants arrested today are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken America’s defense capabilities and empowering our adversaries in China,” said Attorney General Pamela J. Bondi. “They will face swift, severe, and comprehensive justice.”

“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,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The FBI and our partners will continue to work to uncover attempts by those in China to steal sensitive U.S. military information and hold all accountable who play a role in betraying our national defense. The FBI would like to thank U.S. Army Counterintelligence for their close partnership during this investigation.”

“We thank the FBI and U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command for their hard work on this investigation and commitment to protecting our national security,” said Acting U.S. Attorney William M. Narus for the District of Oregon.

“These arrests underscore the persistent and increasing foreign intelligence threat facing our Army and nation,” said Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, Commanding General, Army Counterintelligence Command. “Along with the Department of Justice and FBI, Army Counterintelligence Command will continue to work tirelessly to hold those accountable who irresponsibly and selfishly abandon the Army values and choose personal gain over duty to our nation. We remind all members of the Army team to increase their vigilance and protect our Army by reporting suspicious activity.”

The indictment in the District of Oregon alleges that beginning on or about Nov. 28, 2021, and continuing to at least on or about Dec. 19, 2024, Duan and Tian along with others, known and unknown to the grand jury conspired with each other to surreptitiously gather sensitive military information related to the United States Army’s operational capabilities, including technical manuals and other sensitive information, and that Tian transmitted this information to Duan in return for money, in violation of his official duties as an active-duty U.S. Army officer. Specifically, Tian was tasked with gathering information related U.S. military weapon systems, including information related to the Bradley and Stryker U.S. Army fighting vehicles, and transmitting them to Duan.

The indictment in the Western District of Washington alleges that beginning in or about July 2024, and continuing to the date of the arrest, Jian Zhao, an active-duty U.S. Army Supply Sergeant, conspired with others known and unknown to the grand jury to obtain and transmit national defense information to individuals based in China. Zhao is further alleged to have committed bribery and theft of government property.

Specifically, Zhao was charged for his conspiracy to collect and transmit several classified hard drives, including hard drives marked “SECRET” and “TOP SECRET”, negotiating with individuals based in China for their sale, and agreeing to send the classified hard drives to the individuals in China. In exchange for the sale of the classified hard drives, Zhao received at least $10,000. Zhao is further alleged to have conspired to sell an encryption capable computer that was stolen from the U.S. Government, and sensitive U.S. military documents and information, including information related to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), and information related to U.S. military readiness in the event of a conflict with the People’s Republic of China. Zhao is alleged to have violated his duties as a U.S. Army Soldier and public official to protect sensitive military information in exchange for money. In total, Zhao is alleged to have corruptly received and accepted payments totaling at least $15,000.

The FBI and the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey Barrow and Katherine Rykken for the District of Oregon and Trial Attorneys Christopher Cook and Yifei Zheng of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Lotsa tall trees near JBLM.

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Originally posted by Sig2340:
Lotsa tall trees near JBLM.

If convicted, this is the answer. Quickly.

Firing squad, NOW!!!!!

quote:

One Soldier Charged with Conspiring to Transmit National Defense Information to Individuals Located in China

Nothing has been done to Millie (spelling deliberate) for essentially the same thing.

^^^ Not sure what can be done to that POS, since FJB pardoned him.

I agree - firing squad; death sentence. However, it looks like the feds will work the case, and I presume they will most likely get locked up in a federal pen. I'm sure they will "get along well" with the other inmates.

What bothers me is how they were able to get the necessary security clearances to have access to this information in the first place? Having worked in a SCIF before, how does one manage to get hard drives out of a SCIF, let alone an "encryption capable computer"? Is our physical security that bad these days?

There is a lot of use of the word "conspired" here. Did this information and/or equipment actually get onto the hands of the CCP?

The soldiers can be tried by the military. Treason. Heads on pikes at the base entrance.

^I think our security can be weak but is also strong. I like you, work in such areas. Honestly, it comes down to who you trust. Where I work, if someone wanted to steal, they probably could. Once something is determined missing, then the security protocols could narrow it down quickly and solve the 'who done it', but for hours or days, information could be unsecure.

It is far above my pay grade to decide who gets a clearance, but I have worked with a lot of immigrants that have TS and above clearances. I sometimes wonder if that is a good idea.

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The soldiers can be tried by the military

Yes, they can. But these appear to be federal charges, not military. How would a simple supply sergeant get his hands on classified hard drives? No one noticed?

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U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command

Thankfully they're aware and empowered to start making investigations and effecting arrests. It was known that the last guy occupying the White House wasn't 'enthusiastic' about making these discoveries.

Would be curious to know where these guys were born, the majority of mainland-born Chinese are blindly loyal to China and make no distinction between the CCP and others. This is particularly acute when going abroad as the conflict between expats/immigrants and Mainlanders who've moved or work visa holders. I remember visiting Hong Kong many times and the undercurrent of distain the Hong Konger's had for the Mainlanders was very apparent. You see the same point-of-friction in Philippines, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Australia and in various areas here in the US.

I wonder how these 'traitors' will fare in lockup?

I wonder how many US nationals are in the Chinese military.

Hang the pieces of shit if guilty.

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Originally posted by 229DAK:
But these appear to be federal charges, not military.

Military charges are federal charges, someone may be confusing the usual two separate types of charges. UCMJ guilty charges are reported to the FBI for entering into the NCIS system and they are reported as federal charges.

I was once under threat of being courts martialed and I had a long talk with my JAG attorney where he told me if I took any plea it would be a federal charge and I’d lose my gun rights for “assault”(felony). I went with the Captain’s Mast bc their lawyers said their side would lose-found out later, and I won and only got a letter in my record.

Unless we’re willing to ask two simple questions, this shit is going to happen again, and again…


Cigarette?
Blindfold?

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:

quote:

Originally posted by 229DAK:
But these appear to be federal charges, not military.

Military charges are federal charges, someone may be confusing the usual two separate types of charges. UCMJ guilty charges are reported to the FBI for entering into the NCIS system and they are reported as federal charges.

I was once under threat of being courts martialed and I had a long talk with my JAG attorney where he told me if I took any plea it would be a federal charge and I’d lose my gun rights for “assault”(felony). I went with the Captain’s Mast bc their lawyers said their side would lose-found out later, and I won and only got a letter in my record.

This, with the caveat that only when the military charges reach a certain level, which these most certainly would qualify. They are also not bound by double jeopardy rules.

You can be charged federally, state, or locally, AND charged for the same crime by the military.

I’m not saying it’ll be two different permanent records but will be two separated punishments.

Things have changed a lot since my retirement, and I have more or less intentionally avoided trying to keep up, but when I was an Army counterintelligence agent in the 1960s and ’70s it was assumed that any case involving espionage by Army personnel in the US would be taken over (“assumed”) by the FBI. Army CI agents were trained on how to investigate espionage and other “national security” crimes, but it was obvious that the FBI had much more experience and resources to conduct them. Although someone could be tried by court martial, it was also much more likely they would be tried in Federal court.

This is the first time I’ve even heard of the Army’s Counterintelligence Command which did not exist when I was in, so that’s one major change. I suspect, though, that its agents’ involvement was limited to supporting the FBI’s investigation. Later in my career as a CID agent (criminal investigator) I assisted other Federal LE agencies in their investigations of Army retirees who could in theory have been recalled to active duty and tried by court martial, but who were actually charged and tried in the Federal system.

I don’t know how to resolve the process either Sigfreund.

Most investigations are conducted by NCIS when pertaining to the Navy. When agencies are involved, even more investigatory bodies are included.