U.S. Army intelligence analyst sentenced to 7 years in prison for selling military secrets to contact in China
A former U.S. Army intelligence analyst was sentenced Wednesday to 7 years in prison for selling military secrets to a contact in China, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
Korbein Schultz, 25, of Wills Point, Texas, pleaded guilty in August 2024 to conspiring to collect and transmit national defense information, unlawfully exporting controlled information to China, and accepting bribes in exchange of sensitive, non-public U.S. government information.
Schultz agreed to enter into a long-term partnership with an individual referred to in court documents as "Conspirator A," who claimed to live in Hong Kong. Schultz sent "Conspirator A" at least 92 sensitive U.S. military documents between May 2022 and his arrest in March 2024 in exchange for approximately $42,000, court documents said.
"This sentencing is a stark warning to those who betray our country: you will pay a steep price for it," FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement. "The People's Republic of China is relentless in its efforts to steal our national defense information, and service members are a prime target."
"Conspirator A" claimed to be a client from a geopolitical consulting firm and solicited Schultz to send detailed analyses on U.S. military capabilities and planning, particularly concerning Taiwan and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Schultz, whose job was in part to instruct others on the proper handling of classified information, sent information related to Russia's war in Ukraine, details on U.S. military exercises in the Republic of Korea and the Philippines, and documents concerning U.S. military satellites and missile defense systems, among others.
