U.S. Navy Sailor Admits Giving Secrets to China in Exchange for Cash
Wenheng Zhao could now face up to 20 years in prison.
Jake Warga/Getty
A U.S. sailor on Tuesday admitted handing sensitive military information to China in exchange for bribes. Naval Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring with a Chinese intelligence officer and another of taking a bribe. Between August 2021 and May 2023, Zhao took at least 14 bribe payments amounting to nearly $15,000 in return for collecting information about U.S. Navy infrastructure, operational security, and military exercises. “Officer Zhao betrayed his country and the men and women of the U.S. Navy by accepting bribes from a foreign adversary,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. “While he and the PRC officer he served took great pains to conceal their corrupt scheme, investigators were vigilant in uncovering this shameful plot.”
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.