A US analyst has been apprehended and accused of conspiracy and the unauthorized sale of classified information to China, sparking concerns over espionage. Sgt. Korbein Schultz was arrested at Fort Campbell in Kentucky on Thursday after investigations conducted by the FBI and US Army counterintelligence.
According to reports, he was paid $42,000 in exchange for dozens of sensitive security records.
The criminal conspiracy began in June 2022, according to the officials.
Along with conspiracy and disclosing national defence information, Schultz is also charged with exporting technical data related to defence articles without a license, conspiracy to export defence articles without a license, and bribery of a public official.
"The conduct alleged in today's indictment represents a grave betrayal of the oath sworn to defend our country," Larissa Knapp of the FBI's National Security Branch was quoted by BBC.
"Instead of safeguarding national defence information, the defendant conspired with a foreign national to sell it, potentially endangering our national security, she added.
According to the officials, the classified documents were provided to a contact in Hong Kong.
The documents included China's military preparedness, the US's future military advancements, US plans regarding Taiwan and so on.
Schultz's duties included training members of his unit on how to properly handle, store and disseminate classified and sensitive government information.
According to the indictment, Schultz held a "top secret security clearance" providing him access to most sensitive secrets. Also, Schultz told Conspirator A that he wanted to turn their relationship into a long-term partnership.
Earlier this week, a retired US Army colonel in Nebraska was arrested for sending alleged classified information to a person through a foreign dating website.