US Navy sailor convicted of spying for China

August 21, 2025

Jinchao Wei, a 25-year-old US Navy sailor, has been convicted of espionage for selling classified information about US Navy ships to a Chinese intelligence officer over an 18-month period for more than $12,000. Wei was recruited through social media in February 2022 while serving on the USS Essex and undergoing the process of becoming a naturalized US citizen. Prosecutors presented evidence including encrypted communications and text messages with his handler (whom he called "Big Brother Andy") and his mother, showing Wei understood he was committing espionage.

Who is affected

US Navy sailors and personnel on the USS Essex and other Pacific Fleet ships
United States national security interests
US military allies whose security was compromised
Jinchao Wei (also known as Patrick Wei) and his family
The US Navy's operational security systems

What action is being taken

Legal proceedings against Wei are progressing through the justice system
Wei is awaiting sentencing scheduled for December 1
US authorities are prosecuting cases of military espionage connected to China
The US Attorney's office is publicly condemning Wei's actions as a betrayal of trust

Why it matters

Wei's actions jeopardized the lives of fellow sailors and compromised national security
The case reveals vulnerability to foreign intelligence recruitment through social media
The espionage provided China with sensitive information about US Navy ships, their locations, weapons systems, and operational problems
It demonstrates how Chinese intelligence agencies target military personnel during naturalization processes
The case is part of a pattern, as evidenced by the similar case of Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao

What's next

Wei is scheduled to be sentenced on December 1 and could face life in prison

Read full article from source: BBC