Soldier from Hillsboro allegedly recruited others in scheme to sell military secrets to China

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Three U.S. soldiers from Oregon and Washington have been arrested and are facing federal charges after being accused of selling military secrets to China.

The FBI revealed that one of the soldiers, Ruoyu Duan, who lived in Hillsboro, played a pivotal role in orchestrating the scheme. Indictment documents show that Duan allegedly recruited the other soldiers and facilitated the exchange of sensitive U.S. military intelligence. Sensitive military technology, classified manuals, and critical security information were put up for sale by the suspects, according to the FBI.

Li Tian, Jian Zhao, and Ruoyu Duan are all facing federal charges. Investigators say Zhao photographed classified materials, including a PowerPoint presentation, to sell secrets at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Washington. Doug Olson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Portland division, said that these types of cases are rare and incredibly difficult to investigate, requiring significant resources to uncover.

Olson emphasized that the suspects were likely targeted due to their access to sensitive, classified information. However, he also cautioned that even everyday individuals could become targets of espionage if they work with valuable proprietary data or sensitive industry information that foreign agents may seek to exploit.

“Many times, they’re going to recruit somebody, they’re going to try to desensitize them to what they’re doing,” Olson explained.

Olson urges the public to stay on high alert and report any suspicious activity to federal authorities.

The FBI uncovered the scheme after a year-long investigation, tracking Duan’s payments through PayPal and Zelle, with encrypted messages and Chinese bank accounts funneling the deals. The investigation remains ongoing, and Olson indicated that there may be more individuals involved in the network.

“We’re continuing to look into it and we’re running all the other aspects of this case to ground, trying to identify if there are any other individuals involved. If there are, we will hold them accountable as well,” he said.

The FBI says it’s working closely with other agencies to investigate the case further. Tian and Duan faces charges in Oregon, while Zhao faces charges in Washington.