Tuesday, April 01, 2008

US - man admits China spy charges


FBI search one of the houses involved in the spy ring in February

A man who was arrested in February charged with spying for China has admitted handing classified material to a Chinese go-between. Gregg Bergersen, 51, pleaded guilty yesterday to a charge of conspiracy to disclose national defence information "to persons not entitled to receive it". He faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on 20th June. Bergersen was one of five arrested and charged with espionage on 11th February. A Pentagon spokesman said at the time the arrests illustrated the increasingly aggressive espionage carried out by the PRC adding that spying was “reaching Cold War levels” [BBC / tvnewswatch 11/02/2008].

Bergersen was arrested along with Tai Shen Kuo and Yu Xin Kang, both from New Orleans. Bergersen admitted in court papers that he gave national defence information to Kuo several times. According to court papers the information related to US military sales to Taiwan. Kuo allegedly cultivated a friendship with Bergersen, giving him gifts, cash, dinners and money for gambling during trips to Las Vegas, Nevada. Kuo is said to have passed the information on to Chinese authorities without Bergersen’s knowledge. Proceedings against Kuo and Kang are still pending [CNN / Sky News / BBC].

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