Today, we are announcing charges in the Central
and Southern Districts of California
against two active duty members of the United States Navy.
Through the alleged crimes committed by these defendants,
sensitive military information ended up
in the hands of the People's Republic of China.
The charges demonstrate the PRC's determination
to obtain information that is critical
to our national defense by any means
so it could be used to their advantage.
The alleged conduct also represents a violation
of the solemn obligation of members of our military
to defend our country, to safeguard our secrets,
and to protect their fellow service members.
This morning, prosecutors in my office
unsealed an indictment charging Wenheng Zhao, a petty officer
in the United States Navy, with transmitting sensitive US
military information to an intelligence officer
with the People's Republic of China and doing so in exchange
for money.
Mr. Zhao transmitted this information
in exchange for payments that totaled approximately $15,000.
As alleged in the indictment, in response
to a request from the intelligence officer,
Mr. Zhao used encrypted communications to send
the sensitive information.
The information included details regarding
various aspects of the US Navy's operational security
and activity.
Among other things, the indictment
charges that Mr. Zhao transmitted operational plans
for large-scale US military exercise
in the Indo-Pacific region, which details specific location
and timing of Naval force movements,
amphibious landings, maritime operations,
and logistical support.
In addition, we charge that Mr. Zhao took photographs
of electrical diagrams and blueprints
for a radar system located at a US military base
in Okinawa, Japan.
We also allege that Mr. Zhao transmitted to the intelligence
officer working for the People's Republic of China details
about the Navy's operational security,
including photographs and videos of the interior of naval bases
located at Ventura and at San Clemente Island, which
is the Navy's only live fire facility used
for testing military equipment and operations.