Former U.S. Army Intelligence Analyst Sentenced to Seven Years for Leaking Sensitive Military Information to Chinese Operative

A former U.S. Army soldier was sentenced to seven years in prison after he pleaded guilty to providing at least 92 sensitive U.S. military documents to someone with ties to the Chinese government.

Korbein Schultz, a 25-year-old former U.S. Army intelligence analyst from Wills Point, Texas, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for providing classified military information to a foreign national believed to be connected to the Chinese government.

Schultz pleaded guilty in August 2024 to charges including conspiracy to transmit national defense information, illegal export of controlled military data to China, and accepting bribes in exchange for sensitive non-public government documents.

Between May 2022 and his arrest in March 2024, Schultz engaged in a prolonged scheme to supply dozens of restricted U.S. military documents—many containing export-controlled tactical and technical information—to an individual based in the People’s Republic of China. Despite receiving “clear indications” that his contact was affiliated with the Chinese government, Schultz continued the relationship in exchange for approximately $42,000.

The Chinese conspirator first contacted the soldier through a freelance web-based work platform

Among the sensitive information Schultz transmitted were his Army unit’s operational orders prior to deployment in support of NATO operations in Eastern Europe, U.S. Army lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war relevant to Taiwan's defense, and technical manuals for critical defense systems such as the HH-60 helicopter, F-22A fighter jet, and intercontinental ballistic missile systems.

He also disclosed information related to Chinese military doctrine, the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, and U.S. military exercises in the Republic of Korea and the Philippines. Additional materials included data on U.S. missile defense systems such as the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), along with counter-unmanned aerial system strategies used in large-scale combat operations.

Court documents reveal that Schultz was first contacted shortly after obtaining his Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance. His handler, posing as a representative of a geopolitical consulting firm, engaged him through an online freelance platform. Initially soliciting general military analysis, the individual’s requests escalated to include highly classified and non-public materials. The operative explicitly sought “exclusive” content marked “CUI and better,” referring to Controlled Unclassified Information and higher classifications.

The soldier attempted to recruit a fellow U.S. Army analyst, according to officials.

Schultz knowingly accessed restricted government systems and databases to download and deliver a minimum of 92 sensitive U.S. military documents. He also attempted to enlist a fellow Army intelligence analyst assigned to the Department of Defense’s Indo-Pacific Command, discussing plans with the Chinese operative to recruit someone with deeper access to classified intelligence in a “nice and slow fashion.”

Attorney General Pamela Bondi condemned Schultz’s betrayal of national security, stating he “put America’s military and service members at risk.” She affirmed the Department of Justice’s commitment to countering foreign espionage, particularly efforts by China to penetrate U.S. defense structures.

FBI Director Kash Patel echoed the warning, calling Schultz’s sentencing a powerful deterrent. “This sentencing is a stark warning to those who betray our country: you will pay a steep price for it,” Patel said. “The People’s Republic of China is relentless in its efforts to steal our national defense information, and service members are a prime target.”