Jian Zhao and Li Tian, both active-duty U.S. Army soldiers stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, along with former soldier Ruoyu Duan, were arrested after federal grand juries in Oregon and Washington issued indictments against them. In the District of Oregon, Tian and Duan face charges for conspiracy to commit bribery and theft of government property. Zhao faces similar charges in the Western District of Washington, alongside allegations of conspiring to transmit national defense information.
Attorney General Pamela J. Bondi stated that the accused "are accused of betraying our country," highlighting their actions as a threat to America's defense capabilities. FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized that "bribery and corruption have thrived under China’s Communist Party" but are intolerable within the U.S. military ranks.
Brigadier General Rhett R. Cox from Army Counterintelligence Command noted these arrests highlight a "persistent and increasing foreign intelligence threat." He urged Army personnel to remain vigilant against suspicious activities.
The indictment from Oregon accuses Duan and Tian of gathering sensitive military data from November 2021 until December 2024, including information about U.S. military weapon systems like Bradley and Stryker vehicles. This information was allegedly transmitted by Tian to Duan in exchange for money.
In Washington, Zhao is charged with attempting to sell classified hard drives marked “SECRET” and “TOP SECRET” to individuals in China for $10,000 or more. He also allegedly tried selling stolen government property such as an encryption-capable computer and sensitive documents related to U.S. military readiness against potential conflicts with China.
Acting U.S. Attorney William M. Narus commended the investigative efforts made by various agencies in safeguarding national security interests.
Douglas A. Olson from the FBI's Portland Field Office criticized Duan's and Tian’s actions as a betrayal that posed significant risks to national security, while W. Mike Herrington from Seattle's office described their acts as unconscionable betrayals of trust among fellow soldiers.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including FBI field offices in Portland and Seattle, Army Counterintelligence Command, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), United States Postal Inspection Service, Army Criminal Investigation Division, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
The legal proceedings are led by Assistant U.S Attorneys Geoffrey A. Barrow and Katherine A. Rykken for Oregon, with Trial Attorneys Christopher Cook and Yifei Zheng handling matters for the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence Section.
An indictment is only an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.