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SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) A U.S. Navy sailor stationed at Naval Base San Diego who agreed to promote Navy secrets and techniques to a Chinese language intelligence officer for $12,000 was discovered responsible on Wednesday.
Jinchao Wei, 25, was convicted of six offenses, together with conspiracy to commit espionage, espionage, and the illegal export of, and conspiracy to export, technical knowledge associated to protection articles, contravening the Arms Export Management Act and the Worldwide Visitors in Arms Laws, based on a information launch from the USA Division of Justice. He was acquitted of 1 depend of naturalization fraud.
“As acknowledged by proof through the trial, Wei, working as a machinist’s mate, possessed a U.S. safety clearance and had entry to categorized nationwide protection data relating to the ship’s weapons, propulsion, and desalination techniques,” stated the DOJ. “Amphibious assault ships just like the Essex operate equally to small plane carriers, enabling the U.S. navy to challenge energy and keep presence by being integral to the U.S. Navy’s amphibious readiness and expeditionary strike capabilities.”
On February 14, 2022, Wei was recruited by way of social media by a Chinese language intelligence officer posing as a naval fanatic linked to the state-owned China Shipbuilding Business Company.
A little bit over per week later, Wei talked about to a buddy additionally serving within the U.S. Navy that he was interacting with somebody who appeared “extraordinarily suspicious” and suspected he was “on the radar of a Chinese language intelligence group.”
The next day, Wei started speaking with the intelligence officer utilizing a special encrypted messaging app, which he perceived to be safer, and commenced spying for the intelligence officer, as acknowledged by the DOJ.
Between March 2022 and when Wei was arrested on espionage fees as he arrived for work on the amphibious assault ship U.S.S. Essex at Naval Base San Diego in August 2023, Wei despatched pictures and movies of the Essex, suggested the officer of the situation of varied Navy ships and described the defensive weapons of the Essex on the request of the intelligence officer, the proof revealed.
Wei acquired greater than $12,000 over 18 months in alternate for the data.
Wei is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 1 at 9 a.m.
