In a significant development, Petty Officer Wenheng “Thomas” Zhao, aged 26, has been handed a 27-month jail sentence on Monday after pleading guilty to charges of accepting almost $15,000 in bribes from a Chinese intelligence officer. The illicit exchange involved providing photographs of unclassified private U.S. military information.
The case unfolded as Zhao, stationed at Naval Base Ventura County in California, admitted guilt last October to conspiracy and receiving a bribe. Despite facing a potential maximum prison term of 20 years, Zhao was also fined $5,500, according to a statement released by the Justice Department.
Zhao confessed to transmitting sensitive information to his Chinese handler, including plans for U.S. military exercises in the Indo-Pacific region, operational orders, and electrical diagrams and blueprints for a radar system situated on a U.S. military base in Okinawa, Japan.
Larissa Knapp, the Executive Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Security Branch, expressed disappointment in Zhao’s betrayal of his oath to the country. Knapp stated, “Zhao chose to betray the oath he took to our country and put others at risk.” She added, “Today’s sentencing demonstrates, yet again, the inability of China’s intelligence services to prevent the FBI and our vital partners from apprehending and prosecuting the spies China recruits.”
This incident further underscores the ongoing tensions between the United States and China, with the former accusing the latter of engaging in an extensive campaign of espionage and cyberattacks. Beijing has consistently rejected these accusations, deepening the diplomatic challenges between the two nations.
A member of the U.S. Navy, Wenheng Zhao, 26, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for accepting bribe money in exchange for transmitting sensitive U.S. military information to a Chinese intelligence officer. @RealNCIS @usao_losangeles @irs_ci https://t.co/eKvOFId9A5 pic.twitter.com/08gvwGStNR
— FBI Los Angeles (@FBILosAngeles) January 9, 2024