An active-duty Army intelligence analyst was arrested and charged Thursday with trading sensitive U.S. security information with China, CBS News reported.
Sergeant Corbein Schultz, 24, was charged with selling highly classified military documents to China. according to Go to CBS News. Mr. Schultz's role included educating others about handling classified information, and the charges against him were inconsistent with his job responsibilities. Federal prosecutors said Schultz allegedly misused his top-secret clearance over a period of more than a year to make $42,000 by providing classified information about the United States' defense of Taiwan, advanced weapons systems, and missile defense capabilities. I made it.
US Army intelligence analyst arrested for selling military secrets to China for $42,000.
Among other information, his contacts wanted to know about U.S. plans if Taiwan was attacked. pic.twitter.com/wDpYU5Rotg
— BNO News (@BNONews) March 7, 2024
According to the report, the latest indictment does not explicitly link the Chinese government to espionage activities. However, the material Schultz allegedly distributed has a lot to do with China. Schultz is charged with six crimes, including conspiracy and bribery. He joined the Army in November 2018 and served as a sergeant and intelligence analyst in the 506th Infantry Battalion. (Related article: Former FBI official involved in Russiagate investigation sentenced to 4 years in prison for foreign collusion)
CBS News reported that his alleged dealings began in June 2022 with a contact who claimed to be a Hong Kong resident. They allegedly communicated through online platforms and encrypted messages, focusing on the transfer of “original and proprietary documents.” This included sensitive details about US military operations and capabilities, particularly in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The sergeant's motive appears to have been financial. “I need my other BMW back,” he reportedly said, according to CBS News. The incident emerged among other recent security breaches within the U.S. military, including those of Massachusetts Air National Guard and Air Force personnel accused of mishandling classified information.
Schultz's first court appearance is scheduled for Friday as the legal process continues, according to CBS News.
