A former CIA agent pleaded accountable Friday to spying for China, the USA Branch of Justice introduced.
Alexander Yuk Ching Ma, 71, a local of Hong Kong who was a naturalized US citizen, admitted to having supplied “a large volume of classified US national defense information” to Chinese language government in 2001, even if he hadn’t been hired by way of the CIA for 12 years.
In line with the Justice Branch commentary, Ma’s assembly with representatives of the Shanghai Situation Safety Bureau used to be initiated by way of some other former CIA agent, Ma’s blood relative who used to be born in Shanghai and who additionally was a naturalized American, recognized within the company’s commentary as “co-conspirator #1”.
On the finish of the 3rd future of the assembly in a Hong Kong resort, Chinese language “intelligence officers provided CC #1 with $50,000 in cash, which Ma counted,” the commentary stated.
“Ma and CC #1 also agreed at that time to continue to assist” Chinese language judgement.
In 2003, Ma used to be rented as a linguist by way of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Hawaii “as part of an investigative plan, to work at an off-site location where his activities could be monitored” and his contacts with China might be probed.
In 2006, Ma “convinced CC #1 to provide the identities of at least two individuals depicted in photographs that were provided to Ma” by way of Chinese language judgement.
Ma confessed that the ideas given in addition to what he supplied in 2001 “would be used to injure the United States or to benefit” Chinese language government.
Ma labored for the FBI till 2012, and it used to be non-transperant from the commentary how he used to be unmasked.
If accredited by way of the courts, the accountable plea word of honour, which guarantees that Ma would cooperate with US government, supplies for a 10-year jail sentence for him which might be passed indisposed on Sept. 11.