A former United States Navy sailor has been handed a prison sentence exceeding 16 years for committing espionage by selling sensitive military secrets to an intelligence officer working for the Chinese Communist Party.
Betrayal for Personal Profit
Jinchao Wei, 25, was convicted of providing technical manuals, videos, and detailed information about the amphibious assault ship USS Essex, where he served as a machinist mate, to a Chinese agent. In exchange for the classified data, which also included the locations of other US Navy vessels, Wei received a payment of $12,000.
According to the US Department of Justice (DOJ), the illicit relationship began in early 2022 when a Chinese intelligence operative, posing as a naval enthusiast, made contact with Wei on social media. Even after Wei grew suspicious that his contact was a spy, he continued the communications, moving to a more secure encrypted messaging app to conceal their conversations.
A Sustained Campaign of Theft
Over a period of 18 months, Wei transmitted thousands of pages of restricted technical documents directly from his work computers. The stolen information included critical details on warship systems such as steering and weapons controls, aircraft elevators, and damage control procedures. He also sent photos, videos of the USS Essex, and specifics about fleet locations and onboard weapons systems.
In a disturbing twist, prosecutors revealed that Wei's mother encouraged his betrayal during a Christmas visit home to Wisconsin. Furthermore, after his handler in Beijing promised to fly him and his mother to China, Wei searched online for flights.
Investigation, Admission, and Sentencing
The spy ring was uncovered by the FBI and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), who examined Wei's phone messages, audio recordings, and digital payment receipts. Wei was arrested in August 2023 as he arrived for duty on the USS Essex. During questioning, he admitted to sharing the documents and described his own actions as 'espionage'.
This past August, a jury found him guilty of espionage, conspiracy to commit espionage, and unlawfully exporting restricted defense information. On Monday, he was sentenced in federal court to 200 months in prison.
US Attorney Adam Gordon stated: 'He betrayed his oath, his shipmates, the United States Navy, and the American people, a level of disloyalty that strikes at the heart of our national security and demanded this powerful sentence.' Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg added that Wei 'made a mockery' of his commitments by selling secrets for personal profit.
Expert Analysis on the Espionage Threat
Cyberwarfare expert James Knight of DigitalWarfare.com noted that the FBI views China as the top counterintelligence threat to the US, focused on acquiring advanced technology and military secrets. 'The number one thing China is seeking from US spies... is advanced technology and intellectual property to accelerate its own development,' Knight told the Daily Mail.
He explained that Wei employed classic modern spycraft techniques—deleting messages, using self-erasing digital drop boxes, and receiving new devices from his handler—to avoid detection. While agencies like the FBI are well-equipped with digital forensics, Knight warned that 'human factors often remain the weakest link' in security, a point underscored by Wei confiding in another sailor about the money offer.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about state-sponsored espionage targeting critical defence technology and the severe consequences for those who compromise national security.
