The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California released the below information:
LOS
ANGELES – A United States Navy service member was sentenced today
to 27 months in federal prison for transmitting sensitive U.S. military
information to an intelligence officer from the People’s Republic of
China.
Wenheng Zhao (seen in the above U.S. Navy photo), 26, also known
as Thomas Zhao, of Monterey Park, was sentenced by United States District Judge
R. Gary Klausner, who also fined Zhao $5,500.
Zhao pleaded guilty in October 2023 to one count of conspiracy
and one count of receiving a bribe in violation of his official duties.
Zhao, who was stationed at Naval Base Ventura County in Port
Hueneme, held a U.S. security government clearance and underwent routine
trainings on efforts by hostile nation states to acquire sensitive information.
Between August 2021 and at least May 2023, Zhao received at
least $14,866 in 14 separate bribe payments from the intelligence officer, who
directed Zhao to surreptitious collect and transmit sensitive U.S. military
information and offered to pay Zhao bonuses for controlled and classified
information.
In exchange for the illicit payments, Zhao repeatedly entered
restricted military and naval installations to secretly collect non-public
information regarding U.S. Navy operational security, military trainings and
exercises, and critical infrastructure. Zhao used encrypted communications to
transmit that sensitive, non-public information to the intelligence officer.
Zhao transmitted plans for a large-scale maritime training exercise in the
Pacific theatre, operational orders, and electrical diagrams and blueprints for
a Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar system located in Okinawa, Japan.
Zhao attempted to conceal his crimes and his relationship with
the intelligence officer by destroying evidence.
“Zhao betrayed his country and disgraced himself when he
accepted bribes from an intelligence officer with the People’s Republic of
China,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “As a result, he has now
been removed from the military and will serve time in federal prison. Today’s
sentence shows that my office will swiftly act to root out and punish those who
seek to undermine our nation’s security.”
“Mr. Zhao betrayed his solemn oath to defend his country and
endangered those who serve in the U.S. military,” said Assistant Attorney
General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security
Division. “Today, he is being held to account for those crimes. The Justice
Department is committed to combatting the Chinese government’s efforts to
undermine our nation’s security and holding accountable those who violate our
laws as part of those efforts.”
“Mr. Zhao abdicated his oath to the United States and put
American troops in harm's way when he accessed and handed over sensitive
information to China for a payout,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director
in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “Today's sentence should make
it very clear that the FBI and our partners in the military and at the U.S.
Attorney's Office will hold accountable anyone who succumbs to advances by the
Chinese or any U.S. adversary, and in doing so, puts American secrets and
American lives at risk.”
“Mr. Zhao betrayed his oath to the United States and deserves to
be held fully accountable for accepting bribes in exchange for transmitting
sensitive U.S. military information to an intelligence officer from the
People’s Republic of China,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Angel Cruz of
the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Office of Special Projects.
“NCIS will continue to leverage its unique law enforcement and
counterintelligence authorities to vigorously pursue those who attempt to compromise
our national security information. We are grateful to the FBI and Department of
Justice for their substantial assistance to this lengthy investigation and
greatly appreciate our continued partnership.”
The FBI’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division of the Los
Angeles Field Office and NCIS conducted the investigation. IRS Criminal
Investigation provided substantial assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Annamartine Salick, Sarah Gerdes, Christine Ro and Kathrynne Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section prosecuted this case, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Waters of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section. The Counterintelligence and Export Control Section at the Department of Justice provided substantial assistance.
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