U.S. Navy Sailor Sentenced for Spying for China

A U.S. Navy sailor, born in China, was sentenced to 16 years in prison on Monday for selling classified shipping details to the Chinese government, spurred by his mother’s encouragement.

Jingchao Wei, 25, received a 200-month sentence and was labeled a “traitor” by a federal judge in San Diego. He sold national defense information for $12,000 to agents of the People’s Republic of China, as reported by the Ministry of Justice.

“This active-duty U.S. Navy sailor betrayed his country and jeopardized the national security of the United States,” remarked Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Authorities discovered that Wei was approached on social media by a Chinese intelligence agent while he was pursuing U.S. citizenship in February 2022. The agent, who referred to him as “Big Brother Andy,” initially presented himself as a naval enthusiast.

Evidence indicates that Wei had suspicions about the man’s true identity from the start, suspecting that he was connected to Chinese military intelligence.

He mentioned to a friend that someone had offered him $500 daily to “walk the pier” and “see which ships were docked.” Wei soon realized it was a “terrible spy operation.”

During the period from March 2022 to August 2023, he provided various images and videos of the USS Essex, along with its location and weapon details, using an encrypted messaging app.

In total, Wei made about $12,000 over 18 months by spying for Chinese agents, including a significant amount from selling at least 30 technical manuals on U.S. naval systems.

Interestingly, the payments he received amounted to roughly 20% of his yearly Navy salary.

Investigators revealed that Wei’s mother was aware of his spying activities and encouraged him to continue, thinking it might lead to a career with the Chinese government.

Additionally, intelligence officials hinted at plans to fly both Wei and his unnamed mother, who resides in Wisconsin, to China for in-person discussions. Investigators later found that Wei had looked into flights to China prior to his arrest.

The status of any charges against his mother remains unclear.

In court, prosecutors exhibited phone calls, texts, and other messages between Wei and his Chinese handlers, outlining their interactions and activities, along with how he was compensated.

To stay incognito, his handler employed encrypted apps, deleted messages and accounts, and relied on a 72-hour “dead drop” system. They even provided Wei with new devices to maintain operations.

In a handwritten letter to the judge before his sentencing, Wei sought leniency. “Yes, I failed,” he wrote.

His legal team requested a 30-month sentence, arguing that the intelligence officer who recruited Wei was merely an enthusiast and that his actions weren’t motivated by hatred towards the U.S. government, nor were they aimed at becoming wealthy.

Wei was found guilty in August of charges including illegally exporting defense-related technical data, espionage, and conspiracy in violation of the Arms Export Control Act and International Traffic in Arms Regulations. He was acquitted of one count of naturalization fraud.

Wei was one of two sailors from California charged with spying for China; the other, Zhao Wenheng, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and accepting bribes, receiving a sentence of over two years in prison in 2024.