Two Chinese nationals imprisoned in California for spying for Beijing
Liren Lai and Yuance Chen received 30-month prison sentences after pleading guilty to acting on orders from China's Ministry of State Security.
Two Chinese men, Liren Lai and Yuance Chen, were imprisoned in California on Friday, October 30, 2026, for attempting to recruit U.S. military personnel to spy for Beijing.
The men pleaded guilty to conspiracy and acting as agents of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General. They were ordered to serve 30 months in federal prison and undergo three years of supervised release.
The U.S. Department of Justice said the pair had been working for China's foreign intelligence branch since at least May 2021. They were arrested in June 2025.
According to the Department of Justice, the men conducted clandestine intelligence activities, including facilitating cash payments via dead drops in exchange for national security information. They also gathered data on U.S. military installations and personnel.
Lai, who entered the United States on a tourist visa, acted as an intermediary for Chen, a permanent resident. Chen eventually began receiving orders directly from his handler.
FBI Assistant Director of the Counterintelligence and Espionage Division Roman Rozhavsky said the sentencing should serve as a warning to those attempting to jeopardise the safety of the nation and its citizens.
