Nashville, Tenn. – A US soldier from Fort Campbell has been indicted on charges of selling national security secrets to China, US Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Henry C. Leventis announced Thursday.
Corbin Schultz was an Army intelligence analyst with the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment at Fort Campbell, Leventis said. He was arrested earlier on Thursday.
The indictment charges Schultz with six counts, including conspiracy to illegally communicate security information, illegal export of security materials to China and bribing a public official, Leventis said.
“He traded our national security information for money,” Leventis said. Received $42,000 in 14 payments.
It alleges that beginning in June 2022, Schultz collected and shared with a conspirator in China information about U.S. military operations, including advanced military helicopters, sophisticated artillery rocket systems, anti-missile systems and Chinese military tactics. Tactical techniques and procedures manuals for the F22-A fighter and intercontinental ballistic missiles.
According to the indictment, Schultz told a conspirator in August 2022 that “'he wanted to be 'Jason Bourne'.” A month later, he said he was thinking “about going to Hong Kong and working for you in person.” to the charge sheet.
The conspirators lured Schultz with promises of riches and betting-related favors, according to Schultz's indictment and a review of his social media, which he appears to have had a connection to.
On May 20, 2023, a conspirator told Schultz he wanted to “meet him at a Formula 1 race overseas” and made Schultz a “senior partner” with a “large signing bonus,” according to court documents.
Schultz replied, “Oh snap!”
The charge sheet outlines the details of the conspiracy
According to the indictment, the conspirator's first request to Schultz was to provide information on “lessons that can be learned from Russia's war with Ukraine” and “what the United States can and should do to protect Taiwan from attack . . .”
After Schultz sent the conspirator a draft document related to his request, Schultz was paid $200 on July 6, 2022, according to the indictment. Two days later, Schultz told the conspirator that he wanted to turn their relationship into a “long-term partnership.”
Shortly after Schultz began sending the information in June 2022, the conspirator told Schultz that if the documents were classified, Schultz could get more money.
According to the indictment, the conspirator “directed Schultz to obtain highly “sensitive'' military information, including “hypersonic equipment, studies of the future development of US military forces, studies of key countries such as the People's Republic of China, and summaries of military exercises/operations.”
The conspirators and Schultz discussed how to hide their activities by describing — among other things — their online financial transactions as related to “car customizations.”
On August 4, 2022, the conspirator told Schultz that the conspirators would “pay” if the document shared by Sgt. contained any classified information related to the Philippine Sea. [Schultz] And money,” according to the indictment. Schultz replied, “I hope so! I want my other BMW back!”
Online public records show Schultz is 24 years old. In a video from 2021, Schultz shared that he was originally from the town of Wills Point in East Texas.
The family is confused, shocked
Kolby Weldon, Schultz's second cousin, who lives on the family's brick ranch in Clarksville, Tennessee, said he was awakened by his dog barking at 11 a.m. CT Thursday when agents entered the home with guns drawn to arrest Schultz.
Weldon said in an interview that it was a shocking experience and a complete surprise to the family.
“All we know is that he was writing papers (on the computer),” he said.
Weldon, who served in the U.S. Army at Fort Campbell, said he and Schultz shared a bond and were deeply hurt by the allegations.
“It really makes me angry,” Weldon said.
The Schultz case is the latest case involving military secrets
Leventis announced Thursday in Nashville. He was joined by FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas DePodesta.
A spokesman for Fort Campbell confirmed to The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network, that Schultz had been assigned to the Clarksville post, but did not provide further details.
“We can confirm that the individual has been assigned to Fort Campbell,” said Lt. Col. Tony Hoefler, a spokesman for Fort Campbell. “We continue to cooperate with the U.S. Attorney's Office.”
The arrest comes shortly after a civilian US Air Force employee in Nebraska was arrested for sharing confidential information on a foreign dating website with a man claiming to be a Ukrainian woman.
David Franklin Slater, 63, was arrested March 2 on charges of conspiring to pass classified information about Russia's war in Ukraine over a three-month period in early 2022, at the start of Russia's invasion.
A Navy sailor from San Diego was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison in January after he was convicted of selling sensitive information to China.
Petty Officer Wenheng Zhao, 26, pleaded guilty in October 2023 to one count each of conspiring with an intelligence officer and accepting a bribe while serving at Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme.
This is a growing story. Check back for updates.
Contributed by: Craig Shoup
Evan Mealins is a justice reporter for The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Contact him [email protected] Or follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @EvanMeALins.
