Two U.S. Navy sailors have been arrested on charges related to allegedly spying for China, federal prosecutors announced on Thursday
Both are accused of having passed along national defense information to Chinese intelligence officials in return for cash payments, though their cases are separate.
Zhao, 26, worked at the Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme and had an active U.S. security clearance who had access to classified information, officials said. Both Wei and Zhao had their initial court appearances later on Thursday: Wei was in San Diego and Zhao was in Los Angeles. They are set to return before the judges in their cases for detention hearings next week.Wei and Zhao are alleged in their indictments to have each worked with Chinese intelligence officers to whom they passed along sensitive information related to the technologies they worked with and about upcoming Navy operations, including international military exercises.
Around February 2022, the same month he is accused of beginning his illicit activity, Wei also told another sailor "that he had been asked to spy for theWei is alleged to have passed along imagery of the USS Essex, provided the locations of various Navy ships and provided dozens of technical and manual for systems aboard his ship and other Navy ships.
"The fact that we've charged it in this case in San Diego is a reflection of the seriousness of Wei's alleged conduct," Grossman said.Zhao is alleged to have begun working with a Chinese intelligence official in August 2021 and continuing to do so through at least May of this year, according to his indictment. He worked as a construction electrician.
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