State Department employee concealed 'extensive' contacts with Chinese intelligence agents, officials say
The employee received thousands of dollars in "gifts and benefits."
— -- A State Department employee with top secret clearance allegedly made unreported contacts with Chinese intelligence officials and accepted thousands of dollars in "gifts and benefits," the Department of Justice said Wednesday.
Candace Marie Claiborne, 60, was arrested Tuesday and charged with "obstructing an official proceeding and making false statements to the FBI, both felony offenses, for allegedly concealing numerous contacts that she had over a period of years with foreign intelligence agents," according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips, of the District of Columbia.
Claiborne allegedly had contact with two Chinese intelligence agents, according to an affidavit released Wednesday. She allegedly concealed her interactions with them despite the fact that she was required to report contact with people who have suspected connections to a foreign agency. The affidavit claims that Claiborne went so far as to lie to investigators from the FBI and State Department and to asked a co-conspirator to delete evidence connecting her to the agents.
The two Chinese agents allegedly provided Claiborne and her family with tens of thousands of dollars in money and gifts, like a furnished apartment, international travel, tuition to a school in China and even an iPhone.
In one instance cited by the Justice Department, one of the agents asked Claiborne to provide internal government documents shortly after wiring $2,480 to her account. Claiborne mentioned the transactions in her journal, writing that she could "generate 20K in 1 year."
“Claiborne used her position and her access to sensitive diplomatic data for personal profit. Pursuing those who imperil our national security for personal gain will remain a key priority of the National Security Division," said Acting Assistant Attorney General McCord in a statement.
"When a public servant is suspected of potential misconduct or federal crimes that violate the public trust, we vigorously investigate such claims," acting State Department spokesperson Mark Toner told ABC News. "The Department of State is firmly committed to investigating and working with the Department of Justice and our other law enforcement partners to investigate any allegations of criminal activity and bring those who commit crimes to justice."
Claiborne started at the State Department in 1999 and was stationed all over the world, including multiple assignments in China. According to court documents, she first met two of the co-conspirators, whose names were not released, in 2011 and 2012 when she worked at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.
She was arrested on March 28 and pleaded not guilty at a court appearance this afternoon. Court documents mention three co-conspirators in the case but their names were not released. One co-conspirator is described as an American citizen and two are described as Chinese citizens.
Another court hearing was set for April 18. Claiborne could face up to 25 years in prison if she is convicted of the charges of making false statements and obstructing an official proceeding.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.ABC News' Conor Finnegan contributed to this report.