Tacoma, WA and Hillsboro, OR — Three U.S. Army soldiers, including two active-duty personnel, have been arrested on federal charges for allegedly conspiring to sell sensitive national security information to individuals operating on behalf of the People’s Republic of China. The arrests occurred on Thursday, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) has confirmed the involvement of Sgt. Jian Zhao, 1st Lt. Li Tian, and former Army soldier Ruoyu Duan.
The investigation, conducted by the FBI and U.S. Army Counterintelligence, revealed that Zhao, who served as a battery supply officer at Washington’s Joint Base Lewis-McChord, sold classified U.S. military information, including hard drives and details about advanced artillery systems like HIMARS (High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System). Zhao was reportedly paid over $15,000 for these materials, which were sold to buyers in China.
Zhao’s activities were uncovered following a multi-agency investigation involving the FBI’s Portland and Seattle offices. According to the DOJ, Zhao’s actions included photographing sensitive documents and transferring them to co-conspirators for sale to China. The charges against him include conspiracy to transmit national defense information, theft of government property, and bribery of a public official.
Alongside Zhao, 1st Lt. Li Tian and former soldier Ruoyu Duan were implicated in a broader conspiracy. The indictment alleges that Tian, stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, worked with Duan to transmit sensitive military information from November 2021 to December 2024. Tian reportedly minimized his involvement in interviews with FBI agents but admitted his guilt, stating, “I am 100% guilty.”
Duan is accused of acting as an intermediary between the U.S. Army soldiers and Chinese buyers, facilitating payments and transferring funds from Chinese accounts to U.S.-based soldiers. He faces charges of theft of government property and conspiring to bribe public officials.
The case highlights a significant security breach, with potential ramifications for U.S. national defense. The DOJ’s statement emphasized that Duan and Tian’s actions posed a “significant risk” to U.S. security and betrayed their military oaths.
In addition to the sale of hard drives, Zhao allegedly shared details about military exercises simulating conflict with China, further intensifying the gravity of the case. Investigators also discovered evidence suggesting that Zhao maintained a warehouse, the location of which remains unknown.
The case continues to unfold as authorities pursue further leads.
