Soldier Indicted for Espionage: Passing Defense Info to China

A former U.S. Army Sergeant, Joseph Daniel Schmidt, has been indicted on charges of attempting to deliver national defense information and retaining national defense information. Schmidt, who had access to SECRET and TOP SECRET information during his military service, allegedly reached out to the Chinese Consulate and later Chinese security services, offering classified information. He traveled to Hong Kong in March 2020 and continued his efforts to provide Chinese intelligence with classified information. Schmidt was arrested at the airport in San Francisco after returning from China. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.