‘Bribery, Betrayal’: U.S. Soldier Korbein Schultz Arrested Thursday at Fort Campbell
Photo courtesy of U.S. Army Fort Campbell website.
By JOSH MITCHELL
Editor
River Mississippi News
FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY — A U.S. Army soldier based in Fort Campbell, Ky. allegedly conspired to illegally disclose and sell sensitive national defense information with the help of an unnamed “foreign national,” according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Fort Campbell is located on the Tennessee-Kentucky state line northwest of Nashville and home to the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), also known as the “Screaming Eagles.” It began operations in 1942–82 years ago.
An indictment against Korbein Schultz alleges the U.S. Army soldier conspired to obtain and disclose U.S. military information to an “individual overseas,” the DOJ news release issued Thursday stated. This was allegedly “in exchange for thousands of dollars, placing personal profit above the security of the American people.”
Schultz also allegedly bribed and planned to export “defense articles without a license,” it added.
“Today’s arrest shows that such a betrayal does not pay — the Department of Justice is committed to identifying and holding accountable those who would break their oath to protect our nation’s secrets,” said Matthew G. Olsen, an assistant attorney general in the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis for the Middle District of Tennessee, added, “Protecting national defense information is absolutely critical to our country’s safety and security. The unauthorized sale of such information violates our national security laws, compromises our safety, and cannot be tolerated.”
The allegations against Schultz, if proven true, represent a “grave betrayal” of the U.S. military oath to protect domestic interests, FBI National Security Branch Executive Assistant Director Larissa L. Knapp asserted in the release.
U.S. Brigadier Gen. Rhett R. Cox, agreed, adding, “We cannot tolerate any betrayal of trust, and we remain vigilant in our mission to protect national defense information crucial to our security. We encourage all members of the Army team, past or present, to remain vigilant and report any potential suspicious activity.”
Cox is the commanding general of the Army Counterintelligence Command.
The details of Schultz’s alleged conspiracy as stated in the DOJ new release are below, and the indictment can be seen here.
DOJ news release portion start:
“The indictment alleges that from June 2022 until the time of his arrest today, Schultz conspired with an individual, identified as Conspirator A, to disclose documents, writings, plans, maps, notes, and photographs relating to national defense as well as information relating to national defense which Schultz had reason to believe could be used to injure the United States or used to the advantage of a foreign nation. Conspirator A recruited Schultz, who possessed a Top Secret security clearance, and frequently tasked him to gather documents and sensitive U.S. military information. Specifically, Conspirator A tasked Schultz with gathering information related to a variety of U.S. military weapons systems, including classified information, and information related to the United States’ potential plans in the event that Taiwan came under military attack. Some of the information that Schultz provided to Conspirator A included documents related to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), information on hypersonic equipment, studies on the future development of U.S. military forces, studies on major countries such as the People’s Republic of China, and summaries of military drills and operations. In exchange for the documents and information, Conspirator A made at least 14 payments to Schultz that totaled approximately $42,000. Throughout the entirety of the conspiracy, Conspirator A represented to Schultz that he lived in Hong Kong and worked for a geopolitical consulting firm based overseas.
During the course of the conspiracy, Schultz also sent Conspirator A three documents that violated the Arms Export Control Act (AECA). The three documents included an Air Force Tactics Techniques and Procedures manual for the HH-60W helicopter, an Air Force Tactics Techniques and Procedures manual for the F22-A fighter aircraft, and an Air Force Tactics Techniques and Procedures manual for intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The FBI and the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Kurtzman for the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Adam Barry and Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.”
