California-based Navy sailor pleads guilty to providing sensitive military information to China
A U.S. Navy sailor charged with providing sensitive military information to China pleaded guilty in Los Angeles on Tuesday to conspiring with a foreign intelligence officer and receiving a bribe, federal prosecutors said.
Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, 26, originally pleaded not guilty when he was charged Aug. 4. The Justice Department alleges that Zhao, based at Naval Base Ventura County, north of Los Angeles, conspired to collect nearly $15,000 in bribes from a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for information, photos and videos of involving Navy exercises, operations and facilities.
The information included plans for a large-scale U.S. military exercise in the Indo-Pacific region, which detailed the location and timing of naval force movements, prosecutors said. The Chinese officer told Zhao the information was needed for maritime economic research to inform investment decisions, according to the indictment.
As former enlisted navy, I am offended by how little that bribe is. That's politician level bribes, we should be better than that.
Yeah..... taking a 15k bribe from an adversarial government is definitely a move made in desperation.
It makes me wonder how many state secrets have been sold to make payments on a Camaro at 26%apr.
Dependa needs that seed money for her 3rd pyramid scheme this year too now that's she's a holistic mind and spiritual health oils business CEO.