"State of play: The 25-year-old who's also known as Patrick Wei was arrested in 2023 while working as a machinist's mate on the amphibious assault ship, the USS Essex, at Naval Base San Diego, California. Wei held a U.S. security clearance and had access to sensitive national defense details about the ship's weapons, propulsion and desalination systems. A Chinese intelligence officer recruited him via social media, prosecutors said."
"Zoom in: Wei was convicted in August of espionage and five other charges related to selling military secrets while on active duty. He was found not guilty of one count of naturalization fraud. A second sailor, who was arrested at the same time as Wei, was sentenced in 2024 to 27 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring with a Chinese intelligence officer and receiving a bribe."
Patrick Wei was arrested in 2023 while serving as a machinist's mate aboard the USS Essex at Naval Base San Diego. He held a U.S. security clearance and had access to sensitive national defense details about the ship's weapons, propulsion and desalination systems. A Chinese intelligence officer recruited him via social media. Wei was convicted in August of espionage and five other charges related to selling military secrets and was found not guilty of one count of naturalization fraud. A second sailor arrested alongside Wei was sentenced in 2024 to 27 months after pleading guilty to conspiring with a Chinese intelligence officer and receiving a bribe.
Read at Axios
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