Former CIA Officer Admits to Spying for China

Former CIA Officer Admits to Espionage for China
In a significant development reported by the Justice Department, Alexander Yuk Ching Ma, a 71-year-old former CIA officer, has pleaded guilty to delivering classified national defense information to the People’s Republic of China. Ma, who served in the CIA during the 1980s and later worked for the FBI as a linguist, was caught in an FBI sting operation that revealed his activities spanning decades.
According to the details disclosed, Ma and an unnamed accomplice provided a substantial amount of classified information to Chinese intelligence back in 2001, receiving tens of thousands of dollars in return. His espionage activities included taking photographs of sensitive documents within the FBI’s Honolulu office, intending to pass them to his Chinese handlers.
Ma’s actions, as confessed, were knowingly detrimental to the United States, aiming to benefit China. Under a plea agreement, Ma has agreed to cooperate fully with U.S. authorities, which includes submitting to interviews and providing documents as requested by government agencies.
The court is expected to sentence Ma to up to 10 years in federal prison during a hearing scheduled for September 11, contingent on the acceptance of his plea agreement. The case underscores ongoing concerns about espionage and the protection of national security information.