Korbein Schultz, National Defense Information Theft, Tennessee 2022

A shocking betrayal of trust has rocked the nation as Korbein Schultz, a U.S. Army soldier and intelligence analyst, was arrested today at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, 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.

The indictment alleges that from June 2022 until the time of his arrest today, Schultz conspired with an individual, identified as Conspirator A, to disclose documents, writings, plans, maps, notes, and photographs relating to national defense as well as information relating 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.

According to the indictment, 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.

The indictment also alleges that Schultz provided sensitive government information to Conspirator A in exchange for thousands of dollars. In total, Conspirator A made at least 14 payments to Schultz that totaled approximately $42,000.

The arrest and indictment of Schultz serve as a stark reminder of the gravity of the alleged crimes. ‘Protecting national defense information is absolutely critical to our country’s safety and security,’ said U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee.

The case is a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding national defense information and the severe consequences of betraying that trust. The U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, the FBI's National Security Branch, and the broader intelligence community will continue to work tirelessly to protect national defense information and bring those who would seek to compromise it to justice.

Korbein Schultz, 36, was arrested on June 30, 2022. He faces charges of 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. His current status is pending trial.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/us-army-intelligence-analyst-arrested-and-charged-conspiracy-obtain-and-disclose-national