Army intelligence analyst Korbein Schultz, 25, pleaded guilty to six felonies related to conspiring to sell military information to China. Schultz, who had top secret clearance and was stationed at Fort Campbell, conspired with an individual in Hong Kong suspected of having ties to the Chinese government to collect and export national defense information in exchange for money. The FBI revealed that the person in China actually worked for the Chinese government.
Schultz sold information about military helicopters, rocket systems, defensive missile systems, and military tactics, as well as manuals for the F-22A fighter jet and intercontinental missiles in exchange for $42,000. He was motivated by promises of perks and wealth, as well as his love of auto racing. He was prevented from profiting from his crimes in the future.
This betrayal of trust by Schultz put national security at risk, according to Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen. He also attempted to recruit a higher-ranking Army employee into his scheme. U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger will sentence Schultz on January 23, with the most severe charges carrying a possible 20-year prison sentence and $1 million fine. Schultz’s actions were condemned by FBI Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells and Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox of the Army Counterintelligence Command. The case serves as a reminder of the threat posed by foreign governments seeking to target military personnel for sensitive information.
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