Former US Navy Sailor Jailed for 16 Years for Selling Warship Secrets to Chinese Intelligence

A former US Navy sailor has been sentenced to more than 16 years in prison after being convicted of passing sensitive military information about American warships to an intelligence officer working for China, US prosecutors have said.

A federal judge in San Diego on Monday sentenced Jinchao Wei, 25, to 200 months in prison after a jury found him guilty of six offences, including espionage. According to the US Department of Justice, Wei received more than $12,000 in exchange for classified and restricted naval information.

Wei served as an engineer aboard the USS Essex, a US Navy amphibious assault ship. Prosecutors said he supplied technical and operational manuals detailing weapons systems, aircraft operations and shipboard infrastructure to a Chinese intelligence officer over an 18-month period.

Recruited Through Social Media

Court documents revealed that Wei was first approached in 2022 via social media by an individual who presented himself as a naval enthusiast working for China’s state-owned China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation. Despite expressing concerns to a friend that the contact appeared “extremely suspicious” and “quite obviously” espionage-related, Wei continued the communication.

Prosecutors said Wei ignored advice to sever contact and instead moved conversations to an encrypted messaging platform he believed offered greater security.

During the exchanges, Wei sent photos and videos of the USS Essex, disclosed the locations of US Navy vessels and shared details about the ship’s defensive capabilities.

Sale of Sensitive Military Manuals

Investigators found that Wei sold 60 technical and operational manuals, many of which carried export control warnings. The documents provided detailed instructions on weapons control systems, aircraft handling and deck elevators used on the USS Essex and similar naval ships.

Wei held the rank of petty officer second class, an enlisted position that granted him access to sensitive operational materials.

Broader Espionage Concerns

Wei was one of two California-based US Navy sailors charged in August 2023 with supplying sensitive military information to China. The second sailor, Wenheng Zhao, was sentenced in 2024 to more than two years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy and accepting bribes in violation of his official duties.

US authorities have repeatedly warned of what they describe as an aggressive Chinese intelligence campaign targeting American military and commercial secrets. In recent years, the US has pursued multiple criminal cases involving alleged espionage and cyber intrusions linked to Beijing.

The Justice Department said the sentence reflects the seriousness of the breach and the national security risks posed by insider threats within the armed forces.