U.S. Navy Officer Who Helped China Is Sentenced to 2 Years
A US naval officer, Wenheng Zhao, who shared details of American military installations and naval training exercises with a Chinese intelligence officer, has been sentenced to over two years in prison. Zhao, who worked as an electrician at the Naval Base Ventura County in California, received nearly $15,000 from the Chinese intelligence officer between August 2021 and at least May 2023. In exchange, he provided sensitive information using encrypted communication methods and details of movements of US Navy ships and blueprints of certain systems at a naval base in Okinawa, Japan. Zhao agreed to plead guilty and was fined $5,500 besides the prison sentence. The case underscores the ongoing espionage shadow war amid escalating rivalry between China and the US.
Leave a Comment