US Army Veteran Trains Ukrainian Troops, Arrested for Selling Sensitive Information to Foreign National

On March 7, 2024, U.S. Army veteran Sgt. Korbein Schultz, who was also an intelligence analyst, was arrested at Fort Campbell on accusations of selling sensitive information related to U.S. military capabilities.

Allegations and Charges

According to the six-count indictment, Schultz was accused of conspiring to obtain and disclose military defense information, as well as bribery of a public official. The indictment revealed that Schultz, who held a top-secret security clearance, conspired with an individual identified only as "Conspirator A" to disclose various documents, photographs, and other national defense materials since June 2022. These materials included information related to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, hypersonic equipment, studies on future developments of U.S. military forces, and studies on military drills and operations in major countries like China.

Illegal Dissemination and Payments

The indictment further outlined that Schultz received at least 14 payments totaling $42,000 for the information he provided. These payments were made by "Conspirator A," who was described as a foreign national purporting to reside in Hong Kong. The accused veteran allegedly discussed recruiting another member of the U.S. military to join their conspiracy and provide additional national defense information in order to conceal their illegal conduct.

Repercussions and Prior Cases

U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, Henry C. Leventis, emphasized the seriousness of the allegations, stating that the illegal dissemination of national defense information puts the country, its citizens, members of the military, and allies at risk. Schultz's case is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions of current or former military members accused of illegally disclosing sensitive government secrets. In a similar case in April 2023, a Massachusetts Air National Guard member was charged with leaking highly classified military documents about Russia’s war in Ukraine. Additionally, in August of the same year, two U.S. Navy sailors were charged with providing sensitive military information to China. More recently, the Justice Department announced charges against a civilian Air Force employee and retired Army lieutenant colonel for sharing classified information about the war in Ukraine on a foreign dating site.

Official Statements

Regarding Schultz's arrest, Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Ruth Castro provided a statement, revealing that Schultz had been in the Army since November 2018 and was previously assigned to Fort Cavazos, Texas. It was also disclosed that Schultz had been deployed once to Eastern Europe.