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 following indictments by federal grand juries in Oregon and Washington. The charges involve theft of government property and bribery.
Attorney General Pamela J. Bondi stated, "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 emphasized the importance of safeguarding sensitive military information: “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.”
Brigadier General Rhett R. Cox from the Army Counterintelligence Command highlighted the foreign intelligence threat facing the nation: “These arrests underscore the persistent and increasing foreign intelligence threat facing our Army and nation.”
In Oregon, Duan and Tian face charges for conspiring to commit bribery and theft of government property since November 2021. They allegedly gathered sensitive military information related to U.S. Army operational capabilities.
In Washington, Zhao is charged with conspiracy to obtain national defense information for individuals based in China since July 2024. He is also accused of selling classified hard drives marked “SECRET” and “TOP SECRET,” receiving at least $10,000 in exchange.
Acting U.S. Attorney William M. Narus thanked investigative agencies for their efforts: "The U.S. Attorney's Office thanks the FBI and the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command for their hard work on this investigation."
Douglas A. Olson from the FBI’s Portland Field Office commented on the betrayal by Duan and Tian: "As former and current members of the U.S. Army, Ruoyu Duan and Li Tian betrayed the oath of military service they had taken."
W. Mike Herrington from the FBI’s Seattle Field Office warned potential spies: “These arrests should send a message to would-be spies that we...have the will and ability to find you...and hold you to account.”
The cases were investigated by multiple agencies including FBI field offices in Portland and Seattle, as well as other federal entities such as Customs and Border Protection.
An indictment is an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
