A U.S. Army intelligence analyst indicted for allegedly selling classified information to a foreign entity expressed a desire to emulate Jason Bourne, the fictional CIA assassin from Robert Ludlum‘s novels.
What Happened: On Thursday, the Department of Justice announced that Sgt. Korbein Schultz, 24, has been accused of accepting approximately $42,000 from a Hong Kong-based individual, as reported by Business Insider on Friday. This person claimed to be part of a geopolitical consulting firm, according to the DOJ’s press release.
Schultz once told his conspirator that he wished he could be like “Jason Bourne,” a fictional CIA assassin created by author Robert Ludlum.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen highlighted the gravity of the situation, stating Schultz prioritized personal gain over national security. The sergeant has been in communication with the foreign contact since June 2022, discussing sensitive topics such as insights from the Ukraine war and potential US strategies for defending Taiwan.
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Schultz provided the contact with classified information on U.S .weaponry, including the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, and shared intelligence reports on major countries like China. He assured the conspirator of a continuous flow of information in their correspondence.
Schultz now faces six charges, including bribery and conspiracy, underscoring the ongoing issue of military personnel compromising national security for foreign interests.
Why It Matters: Recent incidents have underscored a troubling trend of security breaches within the U.S. military and intelligence communities. In April, a military base worker was found to have leaked a substantial volume of U.S. intelligence documents on Discord, an online chat platform.
Another case involved Chenguang Gong, a Chinese national and U.S. citizen, who was arrested for stealing missile-tracking technology from a defense contractor in February.
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