Former US Army intelligence analyst Korbein Schultz, 25, from Wills Point, Texas, was sentenced to seven years in prison for providing sensitive military information to an individual he believed was linked to the Chinese government. Schultz pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to collect and transmit national defense information, exporting controlled information to China, and accepting bribes in exchange for non-public US government information. From May 2022 to March 2024, Schultz engaged in a conspiracy to provide numerous sensitive US military documents, many of which contained export-controlled tactical and technical information, to a foreign national living in China.
Despite having clear indications that the person he was giving information to was likely connected to the Chinese government, Schultz continued the relationship in exchange for approximately $42,000. He provided a wide range of sensitive documents, including his Army unit’s operational order before deployment to Eastern Europe, lessons learned from conflicts involving Ukraine and Russia, technical manuals for various military systems, information on Chinese military tactics and the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, and details on US military exercises in the Republic of Korea and the Philippines. Schultz also provided information on US military satellites and missile defense systems, as well as tactics for countering unmanned aerial systems in combat operations.
The individual in China initially contacted Schultz through a freelance web-based work platform after Schultz received his Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance. The individual posed as a client from a geopolitical consulting firm, requesting detailed analyses on US military capabilities and planning, specifically related to Taiwan and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. As the relationship progressed, the demands became more specific and sensitive, with requests for technical manuals, operational procedures, and intelligence assessments. Schultz agreed to provide higher levels of classified information in exchange for money, accessing restricted databases and transmitting at least 92 sensitive US military documents.
Schultz also attempted to recruit a friend, another Army intelligence analyst, into the conspiracy. At the time, Schultz’s friend was assigned to the US Department of Defense’s Indo-Pacific Command, responsible for covering regional areas of influence for China. Schultz and the Chinese conspirator discussed the need to recruit someone with better access to classified material, planning to do so gradually. Attorney General Pamela Bondi condemned Schultz’s actions, stating that he had betrayed his oath to defend the US and put America’s military and service members at risk. The Justice Department remains vigilant in combatting China’s espionage efforts targeting the US military and ensuring that those leaking military secrets face consequences.
FBI director Kash Patel highlighted that service members are a prime target for China’s espionage efforts, emphasizing that those who betray their country will face severe consequences. The sentencing of Schultz serves as a warning to individuals engaging in espionage activities against the US. The FBI and its partners are committed to identifying and prosecuting individuals who compromise national defense information for hostile foreign governments. The People’s Republic of China’s relentless efforts to steal US national defense information are being countered through law enforcement efforts to safeguard sensitive military information and protect America’s security interests.
