A U.S. soldier has been arrested at Fort Campbell for allegedly accepting bribes and sending sensitive military information to a China-based co-conspirator, including reports on the potential defense of Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack.
Army intelligence analyst Korbein Schultz faces charges of conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defense information, engaging in a conspiracy to gather and transmit national defense information, unlawfully exporting defense articles without a license, and bribery of a public official, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Schultz's arrest, which came just a day after the arrest of a Chinese national for allegedly stealing proprietary AI information from Google, highlights U.S. security concerns about Chinese intelligence efforts, particularly in the realm of military intelligence and technological advancements.
"As part of the conspiracy, the defendant provided sensitive government information to his co-conspirator in exchange for thousands of dollars, placing personal profit above the security of the American people," a Department of Defense press statement quoted Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen as saying.
The U.S. Army and Justice Department did not immediately respond to written requests for comment.
The federal grand jury indictment reveals that Schultz was contacted by a foreign national who claimed to reside in Hong Kong and work for a geopolitical consulting firm.
From around June 2022 to around October 2023, Schultz received 14 payments from this source, totaling approximately $42,000, for allegedly collecting and transmitting sensitive U.S. military information, including some that was export-controlled.
One of the contact's requests was for insights into the lessons the U.S. had drawn from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, particularly concerning the defense of Taiwan against a potential attack.
China considers Taiwan a rogue province and has vowed to someday annex it—through force if necessary—though the Chinese Communist Party government in Beijing has never ruled on the democratic island.
The U.S. maintains a longstanding policy of "strategic ambiguity," which doesn't commit to or rule out the possibility of defending Taiwan from a Chinese invasion. However, the 1979 Taiwan relations act requires Washington to sell Taiwan sufficient weaponry to maintain a credible self-defense posture.
Per his China-based contact's instructions, Schultz also allegedly provided sensitive information on U.S military assets, including the HIMARS light rocket launcher, F-22A fighter aircraft, modifications to the country's fleet of nuclear-capable B-52 bombers and hypersonic equipment.
Schultz is also accused of sharing details on operations such as recent Navy exercises in the Philippine Sea and on Chinese observations of these drills, according to the indictment.
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Micah McCartney is a reporter for Newsweek based in Taipei, Taiwan. He covers U.S.-China relations, East Asian and Southeast Asian ... Read more
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