An Army intelligence analyst has pleaded guilty to charges related to selling classified military information to China. Sgt. Korbein Schultz, who held a top-secret security clearance, admitted to the charges in a court appearance on Tuesday, Aug. 13.
Schultz, 24, was arrested in March for his involvement in a scheme to exchange sensitive U.S. military data for cash. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Schultz received $42,000 in return for documents and photographs concerning U.S. military aircraft, ballistic missiles, rockets, drones, satellites and other classified materials. The indictment also revealed that information on U.S. defense strategies regarding Taiwan was compromised.
Previously, Schultz had pleaded not guilty but requested a hearing to change his plea. He is facing four charges of conspiracy and bribery, which carry a maximum penalty of up to 65 years in prison.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 2025.
“By conspiring to transmit national defense information to a person living outside the United States, this defendant callously put our national security at risk to cash in on the trust our military placed in him,” a DOJ attorney said on the case. “Today’s guilty plea is a stark reminder that those who would betray their sworn oath for personal gain will be identified and brought to justice.”
