US Army Soldier Pleads Guilty to Disclosing National Defense Information to China

A US Army soldier admitted to sharing restricted defense information with a Chinese national. Korbein Schultz, who received $42,000 for the classified documents, faces multiple charges, including conspiracy and bribery. Sentencing is scheduled for January 2025, potentially facing decades in prison.

A US Army soldier and intelligence analyst has pleaded guilty to disclosing national defense information to China, according to the Department of Justice. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen stated, "The defendant abused his access to restricted government systems to sell sensitive military information to a person he knew to be a foreign national."

The soldier, identified as Korbein Schultz, faces charges of exporting technical data related to defense articles without a license, conspiracy, and bribery of a public official. Schultz, who held a top-secret security clearance, conspired with an individual in Hong Kong to transmit classified military information in exchange for money. He was paid $42,000 for the handover of dozens of classified US military documents.

An investigation by the FBI and US Army Counterintelligence Command revealed that Schultz discussed sensitive US military documents pertaining to various weapons systems and US military strategy. Among the documents were materials discussing the US Army's lessons from the Ukraine-Russia war and potential defense strategies for Taiwan. Sentencing is set for January 23, 2025, and Schultz could face several decades in prison for his actions.

(With inputs from agencies.)