Photo: US District Court for the Northern District of California
Two Chinese nationals, Yuance Chen and Liren Lai, were arrested on Friday (June 27) for allegedly spying on U.S. Navy personnel and bases. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), the pair acted as agents for China's Ministry of State Security (MSS), collecting intelligence and recruiting military members. Chen, residing in Happy Valley, Oregon, and Lai, who traveled to Houston on a tourist visa, face charges of conducting clandestine intelligence tasks in the U.S. on behalf of the MSS.
The FBI, with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), apprehended Chen in Happy Valley and Lai in Houston. The DOJ alleges that the two men facilitated a "dead drop" payment of at least $10,000 in Livermore, California, as part of their operations. They also visited U.S. Naval installations in Washington State and a Navy recruitment center in San Gabriel, California, where Chen allegedly took photos of Navy recruits' information.
FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized the importance of protecting national security, stating, "The individuals charged were acting on behalf of a hostile foreign intelligence service." Both Chen and Lai face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.