A former U.S. Army intelligence officer, Korbein Schultz, has now reportedly been sentenced to seven years in prison for selling sensitive military documents to an individual believed to have ties to the Chinese government.
Schultz, 25, pleaded guilty last year to conspiring to transmit national defense information, unlawfully exporting controlled information to China, and accepting bribes for sensitive government data.
The Justice Department reported that Schultz sold critical military information over a three-year period, from May 2022 to March 2024.
He received $42,000 for the documents, which included his unit’s operational orders for deployment in Eastern Europe, insights on applying lessons from the Russia-Ukraine conflict to Taiwan, and technical manuals for U.S. military aircraft, including the HH-60 helicopter and F-22A fighter jet.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi condemned Schultz’s actions, stating, “This defendant swore an oath to defend the United States — instead, he betrayed it for a payout and put America’s military and service members at risk.”
Schultz could have faced up to 65 years in prison if sentenced to the maximum for all counts.
The FBI’s Nashville office led the investigation, with support from the Department of Defense and the Army Counterintelligence Command.
Schultz’s illicit activities began when he was contacted through a freelance web platform by someone posing as a consultant for a geopolitical firm.
He even attempted to recruit a friend from the Department of Defense’s Indo-Pacific Command to assist in the scheme.
FBI Director Kash Patel warned that Schultz’s sentencing serves as a stark reminder of the consequences for those who betray their country.
The FBI remains committed to combating espionage and protecting national defense information from foreign threats.
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