An FBI affidavit released on Tuesday reveals that Ashley Tellis had held multiple meetings with Chinese government officials over the past several years.
An Indian-origin man, Ashley Tellis, who worked as a Pentagon contractor and State Department adviser, has been arrested. Tellis, an expert in South Asian affairs, allegedly accessed and removed documents related to Air Force tactics and techniques, according to court records.
An FBI affidavit published on Tuesday states that Tellis met numerous times with Chinese government officials over the past several years. In April 2023, he attended a dinner with Chinese officials in a Washington DC suburb and โcould be occasionally overheard talking about Iranian-Chinese relations and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence,โ the affidavit noted.
Pentagon and US State Department links
According to the affidavit, Tellis serves as an unpaid adviser at the State Department and is a contractor with the Office of Net Assessment (ONA). ONA is the Pentagonโs in-house think tank responsible for anticipating future security threats. The Defence Department announced in March that the ONA would be dismantled and โrestructured.โ
Tellis reportedly met several times with Chinese government officials at a restaurant in the Washington suburb of Fairfax, Virginia. As cited by AFP, the FBI affidavit states that during one such dinner, he arrived carrying a manila envelope, which he did not appear to take back with him.
On two other occasions, the Chinese officials reportedly presented him with gift bags.
What are the charges against Ashley Tellis?
Lindsey Halligan, US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced that Tellis was charged by criminal complaint with the unlawful retention of national defence information, in violation of 18 USC ยง 793(e).
โWe are fully focused on protecting the American people from all threats, foreign and domestic. The charges as alleged in this case represent a grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens,โ said US Attorney Halligan. โThe facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.โ
If convicted, Tellis faces a maximum of ten yearsโ imprisonment, up to a USD 250,000 fine, a USD 100 special assessment, and forfeiture. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the US Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Also read:ย Ashley Tellis, Mumbai-born foreign policy expert accused of illegally keeping secret documents