By Jared Harris
It’s the stuff of nightmares: a Chinese-born United States Navy officer with access to top secret material is busted sending military-grade equipment and flash drives to his communist homeland.
Unfortunately for our national security, this is exactly why the FBI says it arrested Lt. Fan Yang earlier this month.
Yang, who was born in China before immigrating to America and eventually becoming a Navy officer, is accused of smuggling boats, flash drives and other equipment to his native land, Navy Times reports.
In addition to those charges, Yang is alleged to have sold a firearm to a Chinese national. Yang’s wife, Yang “Yuki” Yang, was also arrested for her alleged role in the crimes.
Although these charges alone would be shocking, Yang’s position in the Navy makes them even more worrying.
Assigned to the Naval Air Station Jacksonville’s Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Weapons School, Yang likely had privileged access to top secret anti-submarine materials.
Through a series of shell companies, Yang allegedly shipped flash drives which may have contained extremely sensitive information to China and was paid for his shady work through these same businesses.
“The illegal exportation of sensitive technology to prohibited entities poses a clear, significant threat to our national security,” Rachel L. Rojas, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Jacksonville division, told the Navy Times.
full story at https://www.westernjournal.com/us-navy-officer-top-security-clearances-busted-allegedly-smuggling-equipment-china/