Mother Accused of Urging Navy Sailor Son to Leak Secrets to China: Prosecutors

The mother of a U.S. Navy sailor was accused of persuading her son to provide U.S. intelligence to China, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Jinchao Wei, a 22-year-old sailor, alleges his mother told him that providing the information would help him secure a job with the Chinese government if he chose to eventually leave the Navy.

Wei gave the Chinese government plans for a military exercise in the Indo-Pacific region, which included the exact locations and timings of naval operations. This revelation comes as U.S.-China relations have intensified over the country's nuclear deterrence policies and its threats to invade Taiwan.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred Sheppard, Wei was first solicited by the Chinese Communist Party in February of 2022 when he was applying for naturalized U.S. citizenship. Wei was born in China.

Prosecutors said a Chinese officer told Wei to purchase a phone and laptop to deliver the classified information and that he would be reimbursed for the equipment.

Wei has since been charged under the Espionage Act, under the statute that makes it illegal to provide information that would help advance a foreign government.

Wei is one of two Navy sailors charged with spilling details on naval operations, wartime exercises, and other critical material. Investigators have not said if the men were approached by the same Chinese intelligence officer. Both men have pleaded not guilty.

It's estimated that Wei was given between $10,000 and $15,000 for cooperating with the Chinese government. If found guilty, Wei could spend up to life in prison.

Sheppard urged the judge not to release Wei, stating that he had put thousands of sailors in harm's way by divulging the sensitive information to the Chinese government. According to prosecutors, Wei provided the Chinese with knowledge of the weapons systems and aircraft located on the Essex and other assault ships.

Per the judge's ruling, Wei is being held in federal court without bond.