A California jury has found a U.S. Navy sailor guilty of leaking sensitive military information to China, a betrayal prosecutors say endangered national security for little financial reward, reports Maritime Executive.
Jinchao “Patrick” Wei, a machinist’s mate 3rd class serving aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex in San Diego, began cooperating with a Chinese intelligence officer in 2022. According to the Department of Justice, he passed on technical manuals, photos, and videos detailing the ship’s weapons systems, propulsion, steering, elevators, and casualty control procedures. Prosecutors said he even pointed out what he believed to be a weak spot in the vessel’s defenses.
Wei was not yet a U.S. citizen when the spying began. Prosecutors allege that his mother encouraged him to provide intelligence as a way to build ties with the Chinese Communist Party. Despite the scale of the breach, Wei received just $12,000 in total.
