Chinese National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Procurement of U.S. Military Technology

The DOJ announced that a Chinese national pleaded guilty to violating the Arms Export Control Act after attempting to procure U.S.-origin military-grade satellite modems and radios for shipment to China without the required State Department license. Chen and co-conspirators explored transshipment routes through Switzerland, Saipan, and Mexico and used cryptocurrency, including approximately $30,000 in USDT, to facilitate the purchase. District Judge David Sam accepted the individual's guilty plea and had scheduled sentencing for October 19, with maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.