A soldier from Ft. Campbell has been federally indicted for selling national defense secrets.
Korbein Schultz, 24, of Willis Point, Texas, a U.S. Army soldier and intelligence analyst, was arrested at Fort Campbell following an indictment by a federal grand jury charging him with conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defense information, exporting technical data related to defense articles without a license, conspiracy to export defense articles without a license, and bribery of a public official, according to Henry C. Leventis, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“The indictment alleges that from June 2022 until the time of his arrest last week, Schultz conspired with an individual, identified as Conspirator A, to disclose documents, writings, plans, maps, notes, and photographs relating to national defense,” prosecutors said. “He is also accused of selling information related to national defense which Schultz had reason to believe could be used to injure the United States or used to the advantage of a foreign nation.”
Conspirator A recruited Schultz, who possessed a Top Secret security clearance, and frequently tasked him to gather documents and sensitive U.S. military information. Specifically, Conspirator A tasked Schultz with gathering information related to a variety of U.S. military weapons systems, including classified information, and information related to the United States’ potential plans in the event that Taiwan came under military attack.
“Some of the information that Schultz provided to Conspirator A,” prosecutors said, “included documents related to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), information on hypersonic equipment, studies on the future development of U.S. military forces, studies on major countries such as the People’s Republic of China, and summaries of military drills and operations.”
In exchange for the documents and information, Conspirator A made at least 14 payments to Schultz that totaled approximately $42,000. Through the entire conspiracy, Conspirator A represented to Schultz that he lived in Hong Kong and worked for a geopolitical consulting firm based overseas.
During the course of the conspiracy, Schultz also sent Conspirator A three documents that violated the Arms Export Control Act (AECA). The three documents included an Air Force Tactics Techniques and Procedures manual for the HH-60W helicopter, an Air Force Tactics Techniques and Procedures manual for the F22-A fighter aircraft, and an Air Force Tactics Techniques and Procedures manual for intercontinental ballistic missiles.
“Protecting national defense information is absolutely critical to our country’s safety and security,” U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis said. “The unauthorized sale of such information violates our national security laws, compromises our safety, and cannot be tolerated. Today’s indictment should serve as a reminder of the Justice Department’s vigilance in protecting the United States against any threat to national security, foreign or domestic.”
The FBI and the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command investigated the case.
(Photo: Korbein Schultz, courtesy of CBSNews.com)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
