On Tuesday, a member of the US Navy acknowledged receiving bribes from a Chinese intelligence agent in return for sharing classified US military data with the communist government.
Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, a 26-year-old resident of Monterey Park, California, entered a guilty plea for a felony charge of conspiring with the intelligence officer and another felony charge for accepting a bribe. This information was disclosed by the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
“Officer Zhao betrayed his country and the men and women of the US Navy by accepting bribes from a foreign adversary. While he and the PRC officer he served took great pains to conceal their corrupt scheme, investigators were vigilant in uncovering this shameful plot. Today’s resolution, requiring Zhao to plead guilty to all charges against him, shows that we will act swiftly and decisively to protect our nation from those who seek to undermine our security,” US Attorney Martin Estrada stated.
Zhao confessed to accepting approximately $15,000 in illicit payments from the Chinese intelligence agent while serving at Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme, California, spanning from August 2021 to May 2023.
While holding a security clearance, Zhao covertly gathered and conveyed data pertaining to Navy operational security, military exercises, and vital infrastructure to China, as stated by the Justice Department. He openly admitted to sharing details regarding a significant maritime training exercise in the Pacific theater, operational directives, and the electrical schematics and design plans of a Japanese radar system.
In August, federal prosecutors revealed the arrest of Zhao while simultaneously taking into custody another Navy sailor, 22-year-old Jinchao Wei, in connection with a distinct suspected conspiracy to transmit sensitive security data to Chinese authorities. Wei, who was stationed on the USS Essex based in San Diego, faced charges related to espionage for allegedly sharing comprehensive information about the ship and its crew with China.
