U.S. Army Soldier Admits Guilt in Selling Military Secrets to China

On August 13, a soldier and intelligence analyst in the U.S. Army, Korbein Schultz, pleaded guilty to charges involving the sale of sensitive military information to China. Schultz, who held a top-secret security clearance, was accused of disseminating crucial documents including fighter jet manuals, missile data, and insights regarding the U.S. military’s assessments related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This was particularly vital in the context of growing tensions surrounding China’s potential actions towards Taiwan.

Schultz, stationed at Fort Campbell in Tennessee, is likely facing decades in federal prison after admitting to a six-count indictment in connection with a conspiracy to exploit his military role for access to national defense secrets. He reportedly sold this information to a co-conspirator believed to be associated with the Chinese government. Moreover, Schultz was also alleged to have attempted to recruit other military personnel to participate in this illicit activity.

Brigadier General Rhett Cox, the commanding general of the Army Counterintelligence Command, commented on the severity of Schultz’s actions, noting that he violated his sworn oath to protect national security while serving in the armed forces. “Not only did he fail in his sworn duty, but placed personal gain above his duty to our country and disclosed information that could give advantage to a foreign nation, putting his fellow Soldiers in jeopardy,” Cox stated.

On March 7, Schultz was arrested and confronted with multiple charges, including conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defense information, exporting technical data related to defense articles without a license, and bribing a public official. The conspiracy reportedly began in June 2022 when Schultz was contacted by a person referred to in court documents as “Conspirator A,” who claimed to be based in Hong Kong and part of a geopolitical consulting firm.

Prosecutors revealed that Schultz’s initial transaction with his co-conspirator involved the exchange of documents regarding U.S. military lessons learned from the conflict in Ukraine, for which he received $200. Following this initial deal, Schultz expressed a desire to cultivate a long-term relationship with Conspirator A. As their interactions progressed, the requests for increasingly sensitive military data escalated.

Evidence from encrypted communications suggests that Schultz was primarily motivated by financial incentives, as he responded positively to Conspirator A’s suggestions that he could receive more money for additional information. “I hope so!” he reportedly expressed in a message, after being informed about potential earnings, adding, “I need to get my other BMW back.”

Among the sensitive information Schultz provided were details on deployment operations in support of NATO in Eastern Europe, manuals for military aircraft including the HH-60 helicopter and F-22A fighter jet, as well as operational data related to Intercontinental Ballistic Missile systems. Additionally, he shared documents discussing Chinese military strategies and the preparedness of China’s armed forces, alongside information on U.S. military exercises with allied nations such as South Korea and the Philippines.

The Justice Department indicated that Schultz received a total of $42,000 for his detrimental actions. “By conspiring to transmit national defense information to a person living outside the United States, this defendant callously put our national security at risk to cash in on the trust our military placed in him,” stated Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen from the National Security Division. He emphasized that Schultz’s guilty plea serves as a stark reminder of the consequences that await individuals who betray their oaths for monetary gain.

Sentencing for Schultz is scheduled to take place on January 23.