America’s enemies will never stop until we’re on our knees. And now it’s getting ridiculous.
Because Chinese spies were arrested for recruiting US military personnel to do the unthinkable.
Justice Department Thwarts Chinese Espionage Plot
On Tuesday, the Justice Department announced the arrests of two Chinese nationals, Yuance Chen, 38, and Liren “Ryan” Lai, 39, for allegedly acting as agents of China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) in a scheme to recruit U.S. military personnel to betray national interests.
Chen, a legal permanent resident in Oregon, and Lai, who entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in April, were apprehended by the FBI on June 27, 2025.
Charged with operating as unregistered foreign agents, their actions reflect a broader effort by the Trump administration to counter foreign espionage and safeguard American security.
Uncovering a Covert Recruitment Scheme
The criminal complaint details the pair’s collaboration with the MSS, China’s primary foreign intelligence agency, to target U.S. Navy personnel.
In January 2022, Chen and Lai facilitated a “dead-drop” operation, leaving a backpack with $10,000 in a Livermore, California, recreational facility locker as payment for sensitive national security information.
They also allegedly stole recruitment data from a Navy installation in Washington and a recruitment center in San Gabriel, California, with Chen transmitting the information to an MSS agent in China.
Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the plot, stating, “This case underscores the Chinese government’s sustained and aggressive effort to infiltrate our military and undermine our national security from within.”
The arrests highlight the administration’s vigilance in exposing foreign operatives.
Robust Response to Protect National Interests
FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized the significance of the arrests, noting, “The FBI arrested two Chinese nationals who were allegedly attempting to recruit U.S. military service members on behalf of the PRC. The Chinese Communist Party thought they were getting away with their scheme to operate on U.S. soil, utilizing spy craft, like dead drops, to pay their sources.”
Chen’s meetings with MSS officers in April 2024 and March 2025 to discuss assignments and payments further illustrate the operation’s scope.
If convicted, Chen and Lai face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Justice Department’s swift action, as Bondi affirmed, ensures that “we will expose foreign operatives, hold their agents to account, and protect the American people from covert threats,” reinforcing the administration’s commitment to national security.
