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U.S. Navy Sailor Convicted of Espionage for Selling Secrets to China

The verdict follows a five-day trial, with sentencing set for Dec. 1.

Image
In this aerial photo taken Aug. 2, 2014, the U.S. Navy USS Essex is shown docked near downtown Seattle during the annual Seafair summer festival.
Amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) transits the San Diego Bay, Sept. 8, 2023. Essex is homeported in San Diego conducting a maintenance period to upgrade and refurbish many key systems aboard.

Overview

  • Jinchao “Patrick” Wei, 25, was found guilty on six counts, including conspiracy to commit espionage and unlawful export of defense technical data, and was acquitted of naturalization fraud.
  • Wei served as a machinist’s mate on the USS Essex with a security clearance and sent photos, ship-location details, and thousands of pages of technical and operational information taken from restricted Navy systems.
  • Prosecutors said a Chinese intelligence officer recruited Wei via social media in February 2022 while posing as a naval enthusiast linked to a state shipbuilder, paying him more than $12,000 over 18 months.
  • Wei was arrested in August 2023 at Naval Base San Diego; investigators cited encrypted communications, covert payment methods, and a post-arrest admission in which he told the FBI, “I’m screwed.”
  • The FBI and NCIS led the case with DOJ prosecutors, which officials framed as part of a wider effort to counter Chinese targeting of U.S. service members; a separate sailor, Wenheng Zhao, earlier received a 27-month sentence after pleading guilty.