This is the petty officer Wenheng Zhao26 years old, who has been held since August along with another sailor named Jinchao Wei, 22, on suspicion of being Chinese spies.
It was the same Zhao who, facing an indictment in California federal court, pleaded guilty to the crime of conspiring with a foreign intelligence agent, accepting bribes, according to the Justice.
Zhao faces a prison sentence of five years for conspiracy and 15 years for bribery. The verdict will be announced on January 8, 2024.
The Justice Department reports that the soldier, who worked at the Ventura County Naval Base in Los Angeles, received $15,000 by the Chinese official between August 2021 and May 2023. He is said to have received the money in exchange for information on the Navy’s operational security, as well as exercises and critical infrastructure.
Source: El heraldo
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
