Two Chinese Nationals Sentenced for Espionage in the US
Two Chinese nationals have been sentenced to prison in the United States after admitting to efforts aimed at recruiting US military service members to spy for Beijing. Liren "Ryan" Lai, 40, and Yuance Chen, 39, received 30-month prison sentences along with three years of supervised release, as stated by the US Department of Justice (DOJ).
The men were involved in arranging "dead drop" cash payments in exchange for sensitive information pertaining to US national security. The DOJ characterized their actions as part of a long-running and extensive scheme designed to undermine US national security and bolster Chinese intelligence operations within the country, according to Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A Eisenberg.
Court documents reveal that Lai and Chen began their activities as agents for China's Ministry of State Security no later than May 2021. Lai, who entered the US on a tourist visa, recruited Chen, a permanent resident, into the espionage scheme. Initially, Lai acted as an intermediary between Chen and Chinese intelligence officers until Chen began receiving direct orders from his handler.
In May 2022, they facilitated a covert cash payment of $10,000 from China, instructing individuals in the US to drop the cash at a designated location for collection by another party, a method known as a "dead drop." They later executed a similar operation involving a payment of $20,000.
Further Espionage Activities Uncovered
Additionally, Lai and Chen engaged in other espionage activities, including obtaining photographs of a naval facility, military recruits, and active-duty sailors. Chen collected personal information about a US Navy employee and maintained detailed biographical data on military personnel who could be potential intelligence targets.
Intelligence Reviewed
The DOJ did not disclose how many times the pair facilitated payments or how many individuals they successfully recruited in the US. They were found guilty of two charges: conspiracy to act as agents of a foreign government without prior notification to the Attorney General, and acting as agents of a foreign government without prior notification. The pair was arrested and charged in June 2025.
In a related context, US President Donald Trump acknowledged in late August that he was aware of China's espionage activities against the US, while also noting that the US conducts its own spying operations. In June, China announced the arrest of a US citizen on espionage charges, shortly after reports surfaced regarding the detention of a scholar with dual US and Myanmar citizenship, who had previously written critical opinion pieces on Myanmar's political landscape.
