Schmidt, 29, held a top-secret security clearance and served in military intelligence with the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state from 2015 to 2020.
In a recent development, a former U.S. Army sergeant, identified as Joseph Daniel Schmidt, has been apprehended at San Francisco International Airport
The ex-U.S. Army sergeant faces serious charges of attempting to disclose national defense information and the retention of such classified data. Despite his training in espionage, Schmidt allegedly deviated from protocol in his attempts to relay sensitive information to China.
Reports indicate that U.S. Army sergeant Schmidt’s suspicious activities began shortly after he left the military. During a trip to Istanbul, Turkey, he conducted internet searches on topics like defection and extradition laws. He subsequently contacted the Chinese Consulate via email, introducing himself as a holder of top-secret U.S. government clearance with expertise in surveillance and espionage operations.
Ex-U.S. Army sergeant Schmidt created a Word document titled “Important Information to Share with Chinese Government,” which contained classified data, as confirmed by the U.S. Army
This marked the commencement of a series of documents detailing national defense information, including specifics on U.S. Army intelligence training. Ex-U.S. Army sergeant Schmidt’s activities extended to Hong Kong and Beijing in March 2020. During his time in the Chinese capital, he searched for information on espionage techniques.
Since 2020, ex-U.S. Army sergeant Schmidt has reportedly resided mainly in Hong Kong, persisting in his efforts to transmit sensitive U.S. government information to Chinese authorities. This week, authorities intercepted Schmidt at the San Francisco airport as he attempted to enter the U.S., where he now faces legal consequences for his alleged actions.
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