Ashley Tellis, a US policy analyst of Indian origin and former adviser on South Asia, is accused on charges of unlawfully retaining classified national defense documents and reportedly meeting Chinese government officials.
Ashley Tellis, 64, a voice on US-India relations and long-time adviser on South Asia policy, was accused of illegally keeping national defense documents. The Justice Department confirmed that Tellis had more than 1,000 pages of classified materials, including top-secret documents, stored at his home in Vienna, Virginia. Tellis is known for his role in advising multiple US administrations on issues related to India and South Asia.ย
A senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, he has worked on the National Security Council under President George W Bush and served in various roles with the Pentagon and State Department.ย
What is Ashley Tellis accused of?ย
Court records show that Tellis accessed and removed classified documents from Defense and State Department buildings in late 2025.ย Surveillance footage reportedly shows him leaving one facility with a leather briefcase containing classified materials related to US military aircraft capabilities. When authorities executed a search warrant on October 11, they reportedly found the documents in locked filing cabinets, a basement office desk, and even black trash bags in a storage room at his home.ย
Tellis allegedly cooperated with investigators, unlocking a laptop with his fingerprint and providing access to the cabinets.
Tellisโ alleged meetings with Chinese officialsย
The case has raised further concerns due to reports that Tellis met Chinese government officials on several occasions.ย One of these meetings, according to the FBI, occurred on September 15, 2025, in Fairfax, Virginia. During the meeting, Tellis was reportedly seen carrying a manila envelope, which he no longer had when he left.
Witnesses also claim that in April 2023, they overheard Tellis discussing Iranian-Chinese relations and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, during a dinner meeting with Chinese officials. In another incident, the FBI alleges that Tellis received a gift bag from Chinese representatives during a September 2, 2025 meeting.
What is at stake for Tellis?ย
If convicted, Tellis faces serious consequences, including up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The Justice Department has made it clear that it is committed to prosecuting those who mishandle classified information, emphasizing the importance of national security.
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