A former US Navy sailor, Jinchao Wei, also known as Patrick Wei, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for providing sensitive military information to China. The 25-year-old was convicted by a federal jury on six counts, including espionage. A federal judge in San Diego handed down the 200-month prison sentence.
Wei served as an engineer aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex. He sold technical and operating manuals for ships and military systems to an alleged Chinese intelligence officer. In return, he received $12,000.
Reports say Wei was recruited through social media in 2022. A Chinese official contacted him pretending to be a naval enthusiast linked to a state-owned Chinese shipbuilding company. Wei warned a friend that the contact seemed “extremely suspicious” and possibly espionage. Despite advice to cut off communication, Wei continued chatting with the contact using a secure platform.
With his security clearance in the US Navy, Wei had access to highly sensitive national security information. He sold 60 technical and operating manuals, as well as photos, videos, and locations of Navy ships.
Wei was arrested along with his partner, Wenheng Zhao, in August 2023. Zhao pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison.
Wei’s attorney, Sean Jones, defended him, saying Wei “loves America and has no allegiance to China.” He added that the shared information was of minimal or no importance to U.S. national security.
The case highlights serious concerns about insider threats within the US Navy. Officials stressed the need for strong security measures to protect sensitive information from foreign intelligence operations.
In other related news also read US Attempts to Seize Russian-Flagged Tanker Linked to Venezuela
The sentencing serves as a reminder of the risks posed by espionage and the importance of vigilance among military personnel with access to classified data.
