A former Army intelligence analyst has pleaded guilty to charges of selling U.S. military secrets to China.
Sgt. Korbein Schultz entered his plea in a federal court in Nashville on August 13. He had been charged with selling classified information to China. Among the data prosecutors say Schultz sold were documents describing rocket technology as well as U.S. analysis of military tactics favored by communist China.
The guilty plea was a change for Schultz, who initially pleaded not guilty. In July, he requested a hearing to amend his plea, though the reason for this is not clear. He was indicted on counts including conspiracy to get and distribute secret military defense information and bribing a public official. Schultz, 24, was arrested this past March at Fort Campbell, which sits on the line between Kentucky and Tennessee.
Prosecutors say the former Army soldier was paid a total of $42,000 for the secrets he conveyed.
If prosecutors know the identity of the contact that Schultz divulged this material to, they’re not disclosing it. Court documents refer only to “Conspirator A.” Schultz was well-positioned to spy, given that he had clearance to see top-secret material. The charges against him claim he started gathering the information in June of 2022. It included documents, pictures, and other materials. Government lawyers say he was targeted by international agents because of his easy access to secret information.
All that is known about Conspirator A is that he claims to be a foreign national living in Hong Kong.
Among the information allegedly disclosed to his co-conspirator were materials describing rocket systems, hypersonic craft, U.S. counter-drone tactics, information on military satellites, U.S. analyses and projections of future U.S. military expansion, and more.
Since Schultz has now pleaded guilty, there will be no trial. This also means that much of the information held by prosecutors will never come out in open court.
He is set to be sentenced in January of 2025.
