US Navy Sailor Convicted of Spying For China: 'Egregious Betrayal'

( Newsweek )

A U.S. Navy sailor has been convicted of espionage in an "egregious betrayal" after transmitting classified military information to a Chinese intelligence officer.

Jinchao Wei, 25, was on Wednesday found guilty by a federal jury in California on six charges, including conspiracy to commit espionage and unlawful export of defense data, according to the Southern District of California's U.S. Attorney's Office's press release.

Between March 2022 and August 2023, Wei was paid more than $12,000 to send over information, after he was recruited on social media.

Newsweek has contacted the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C, via email, for comment.

Why it Matters

The case underscores intensifying concerns over foreign infiltration into U.S. defense infrastructure.

Wei's information included classified details about the USS Essex's weapons systems, propulsion mechanisms, and internal operations—data that, if compromised, could place sailors and national interests at risk.

What To Know

Jinchao Wei, 25, also known as Patrick Wei, served as a machinist's mate aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex based at Naval Base San Diego.

Prosecutors said he was recruited online on February 14, 2022, by a person they later identified as a Chinese intelligence officer who initially posed as a naval enthusiast.

A few days later, Wei told a friend he thought he was "on the radar of a China intelligence organization" because he was in contact with someone who was "extremely suspicious" and "interested in the maintenance cycle of naval ships," and wanted him to "walk the pier" to "see which ships are docked" on a "daily basis" for money.

He said he was "no idiot" and that "this is quite obviously f*****g espionage."

Wei was arrested in August 2023 as he arrived for work on the USS Essex and indicted by a federal grand jury.

The government presented evidence including recorded phone calls, electronic messages and recorded interactions between Wei and the alleged handler, plus testimony from FBI and Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents.

Prosecutors said the evidence demonstrated Wei's awareness of the sensitive nature of the material and his efforts to conceal the activity.

During his postarrest interview with the FBI, Wei said "I'm screwed." When asked why, he said: "That I'm sharing the unclassified document to—I mean document with, uhm, him … I'm not supposed to do that."

What People Are Saying

U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said: "The defendant's actions represent an egregious betrayal of the trust placed in him as a member of the U.S. military. By trading military secrets to China for cash, he jeopardized not only the lives of his fellow sailors but also the security of the entire nation and our allies."

Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis of the FBI's San Diego Field Office said: "Today's conviction demonstrates the lengths to which China will go to undermine our country's security."

What Happens Next

Wei faces a statutory maximum that includes life imprisonment for the Espionage Act counts; his sentencing was scheduled for Dec. 1 at 9 a.m. in U.S. District Court in San Diego.

This verdict may prompt additional internal security reviews of personnel with access to classified systems, though specific policy responses will depend on reviews by the Navy and other agencies.