Two Chinese Nationals Sentenced for Spying in U.S.
Two Chinese men, Liren Lai and Yuance Chen, have been sentenced to 30 months in prison in the United States for attempting to recruit American military personnel to collect secret information for China. The sentence was announced on October 30, 2026, in California. Both men have also agreed to remain under supervised release for three years after completing their prison sentences.
According to the US Department of Justice, Lai and Chen admitted that they carried out spying activities in the United States under the direction of China’s Ministry of State Security. Their main aim was to collect sensitive information related to American national security and share it with Chinese intelligence officials.
Investigators said the two men collected information about US military personnel, military bases and other security-related activities. They also attempted to recruit members of the US military to secretly provide confidential information. The investigation revealed that they exchanged money for sensitive details as part of their intelligence-gathering activities.
Roman Rozhavsky, head of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, warned that attempts to secretly collect military information pose a serious threat to US national security. He stated that the United States would not tolerate activities that put its military and national security at risk.
According to court documents, Liren Lai entered the United States using a tourist visa. He initially worked as a middleman between Yuance Chen and Chinese intelligence officers. His role was to help establish communication between Chen and Chinese officials until Chen could directly contact his intelligence handler.
The two men reportedly began their spying activities in May 2021. They continued their operations for several years before American authorities arrested them in June 2025. The investigation later uncovered their attempts to gather confidential military information and recruit people working within the US military.
Both men pleaded guilty to charges involving a conspiracy to act as agents of a foreign government without notifying the US Attorney General. They also admitted to acting as agents of a foreign government without proper legal authorisation.
The US authorities said the case highlights ongoing concerns about foreign intelligence operations targeting American military personnel and defence facilities. They also stressed the importance of protecting confidential military information from foreign governments.
The sentences mark another action by the United States against suspected foreign espionage activities. Officials have warned that anyone involved in secretly collecting sensitive national security information for another country could face serious legal consequences.