A US State employee has been sentenced to four years in prison for conspiring to share classified defense information. The Justice Department announced the ruling on Thursday.
The man, identified as 42-year-old Michael Schena from Alexandria, Virginia, worked at the State Department headquarters in Washington. He held top security clearance and had access to sensitive government information.
According to the Justice Department, Schena began communicating online with people he believed were linked to China. Starting in April 2022, he provided them with sensitive US State information in exchange for money. Two of the individuals presented themselves as employees of international consulting companies, which led Schena to believe they were connected to the Chinese government.
In August 2024, Schena traveled to Peru. There, he met one of his contacts, received $10,000 in cash, and was given a cellphone. This device was intended for him to receive assignments and send classified information.
In October 2024, Schena used the phone at his workplace to photograph at least four classified documents marked as secret. Prosecutors said he then transmitted the images. In February 2025, surveillance cameras recorded him photographing seven more secret documents. Before he could send them, FBI agents seized the phone and arrested him.
The Justice Department said his actions placed national security at risk. Sharing defense information with people he believed worked for a foreign government raised major concerns.
Schena’s sentence highlights the dangers of insider threats within sensitive institutions. It also shows how employees with clearance can be targeted by foreign actors. The US State Department has not released further comments on the case, while investigations remain active.
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