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How Does a Navy Sailor Spying for China Come Away With Only 2 Years in Prison?
Front Page Magazine ^ | January 9, 2024 | Daniel Greenfield

Posted on 01/09/2024 2:25:58 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum

I have no idea why the DOJ is putting out a press release about this. It seems more like the sort of thing to never mention again.

A U.S. Navy service member was sentenced today to 27 months in prison and ordered to pay a $5,500 fine for transmitting sensitive U.S. military information to an intelligence officer from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in exchange for bribery payments.

According to court documents, Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, 26, aka Thomas Zhao, of Monterey Park, California, pleaded guilty in October 2023 to one count of conspiring with the intelligence officer and one count of receiving a bribe.

Between August 2021 and at least May 2023, Zhao received at least $14,866 in at least 14 separate bribe payments from the intelligence officer. In exchange for the illicit payments, Zhao secretly collected and transmitted to the intelligence officer sensitive, non-public information regarding U.S. Navy operational security, military trainings and exercises, and critical infrastructure. Zhao entered restricted military and naval installations to collect and record this information.

Zhao transmitted plans for a large-scale maritime training exercise in the Pacific theatre, operational orders and electrical diagrams and blueprints for a Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar system located in Okinawa, Japan.

He used sophisticated encrypted communication methods to transmit the information. He also destroyed evidence and concealed his relationship with the intelligence officer. Zhao’s conduct violated his official duties to protect such information and the oath he swore to protect the United States.

And for that he gets two years. And a fine that’s about a third of the money he got for his treason.

(Excerpt) Read more at frontpagemag.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 202108; 202210; 202305; airdefense; california; chinesespies; chinesespy; defense; destruction; evidence; militaryexercise; montereypark; navalexercise; okinawa; prc; radar; radarsystem; spies; thomaszhao; wenhengzhao; zhao
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1 posted on 01/09/2024 2:25:58 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Corruption, thy name is Biden.


2 posted on 01/09/2024 2:28:33 PM PST by Bookshelf
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

“. How Does a Navy Sailor Spying for China Come Away With Only 2 Years in Prison? “


Same reason that BLM, Antifa and pro-Hamas rioters and black criminals receive minimal sentences.

These are all essentially Regime-approved activities so are only minimally punished.


3 posted on 01/09/2024 2:30:31 PM PST by Reverend Wright ( Everything touched by progressives, dies !)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Why? Because he was handing ove only WH Approved secrets? (sarc/off)


4 posted on 01/09/2024 2:32:01 PM PST by PubliusMM (RKBA; a matter of fact, not opinion. The Dhimmicraps are ALL Traitors. All of them.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

How many bribes did senile Joe take when he was VP?


5 posted on 01/09/2024 2:32:33 PM PST by Signalman
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

This is barely a slap on the wrist.

This must be to keep him from spilling the beans on someone higher up.


6 posted on 01/09/2024 2:33:01 PM PST by jeffersondem
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

He kicked back 10% to The Big Guy.


7 posted on 01/09/2024 2:33:47 PM PST by Orosius (Wake America Up Again )
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Because he isn’t a J6....captive???


8 posted on 01/09/2024 2:34:14 PM PST by Osage Orange (I miss Rush)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Why was DOJ put in the lead on this prosecution? It should have been under the DOD and the UCMJ.

I guess having our compromised DOJ in charge ensured the administrations preferred outcome.


9 posted on 01/09/2024 2:40:22 PM PST by usurper (AI was born with a birth defect.)
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To: jeffersondem

“This is barely a slap on the wrist.”

*************

That does nothing to discourage others from doing similar things.


10 posted on 01/09/2024 2:43:26 PM PST by Starboard
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

He turned in his neighbor who was a Jan 6th FBI most wanted fugitive.

https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/capitol-violence


11 posted on 01/09/2024 2:45:48 PM PST by freepersup (“Those who conceal crimes are preparing to commit new ones.” ~Vuk Draskovic~)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Spying on the US. No longer really a crime. God help us.


12 posted on 01/09/2024 2:47:51 PM PST by golux
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To: golux

It is a signal...That Xi has an in with President Biden, and many others...


13 posted on 01/09/2024 2:50:12 PM PST by marktwain
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

The sentence should have been 27 years, not 27 months. A 27 month sentence for whoever approved his security clearance.


14 posted on 01/09/2024 3:00:48 PM PST by omega4412
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Red China finds good targets like this. They either find that he/she truly wants to work for “our glorious motherland” or the target understands what it means to be told “we know where your grandmother lives”.


15 posted on 01/09/2024 3:02:55 PM PST by Gay State Conservative (Proudly Clinging To My Guns And My Religion)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Another alleged Chinese spy was arrested on a different vessel around the same time, IIRC. A “Patrick” Wei.


16 posted on 01/09/2024 3:10:49 PM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

From another thread:

...One of the major exchanges involved Zhao’s alleged handover of operations plans for a major U.S. military exercise in the Indo-Pacific region. The DOJ confirmed that Zhao provided specific locations and timings for the movement of naval forces in that incident.

U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Martin Estrada excoriated Zhao, saying that “[b]y sending this sensitive military information to an intelligence officer employed by a hostile foreign state, the defendant betrayed his sacred oath to protect our country and uphold the Constitution.”

Zhao faces a maximum of 20 years in prison....


17 posted on 01/09/2024 3:11:28 PM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: omega4412

He oughta be shot.


18 posted on 01/09/2024 3:15:43 PM PST by TallahasseeConservative (Isaiah 40:31)
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To: piasa

This traitor should be in Leavenworth. We need hangings back. I recall them in the 1960.


19 posted on 01/09/2024 3:19:05 PM PST by Lumper20
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Perhaps he knew too much about Biden’s dealings with the Chinese.


20 posted on 01/09/2024 3:31:00 PM PST by 353FMG
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