Jian Zhao and Li Tian, active-duty U.S. Army soldiers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, along with Ruoyu Duan, a former soldier, have been arrested following federal grand jury indictments in Oregon and Washington. The charges against Tian and Duan in Oregon involve conspiracy to commit bribery and theft of government property. Zhao faces charges in Washington for conspiring to obtain and transmit national defense information unlawfully, as well as bribery and theft.
Attorney General Pamela J. Bondi commented on the arrests: “The defendants arrested today are accused of betraying our country, actively working to weaken America’s defense capabilities and empowering our adversaries in China.” FBI Director Kash Patel stated that the behavior alleged is intolerable among service members entrusted with sensitive military information: “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.”
Acting U.S. Attorney William M. Narus for the District of Oregon expressed gratitude towards investigative efforts: “We thank the FBI and U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command for their hard work on this investigation and commitment to protecting our national security.” Brigadier General Rhett R. Cox emphasized the importance of vigilance within the Army: “These arrests underscore the persistent and increasing foreign intelligence threat facing our Army and nation.”
The indictment in Oregon alleges that from November 2021 to December 2024, Duan and Tian conspired with others to gather sensitive military information about U.S. Army operational capabilities, including technical manuals related to weapon systems like Bradley and Stryker fighting vehicles, which Tian transmitted to Duan for money.
In Washington, Zhao is accused of conspiring since July 2024 to transmit national defense information to individuals based in China. Allegations include negotiating sales of classified hard drives marked "SECRET" or "TOP SECRET" for at least $10,000, selling an encryption-capable computer stolen from the government, and sharing sensitive documents related to HIMARS.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI alongside the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command. Prosecutors include Assistant U.S. Attorneys Geoffrey Barrow and Katherine Rykken from Oregon, along with Trial Attorneys Christopher Cook and Yifei Zheng from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence Section.
It is important to note that an indictment is an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.