The FBI has broken up a large-scale Chinese espionage ring operating within the United States, according to a statement released by FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino.
In a public message shared on social media, Bongino revealed that federal agents carried out coordinated raids in San Francisco, Houston, Portland, and San Diego. Eight search warrants were executed, and two individuals were arrested as part of an operation to disrupt what authorities described as a sophisticated spy network linked to the Chinese government.
“This is your FBI, and you deserve to know the efforts being made every day to protect our nation and its people,” Bongino stated.
According to investigators, the spy ring’s goal was to infiltrate the U.S. military by recruiting service members and gathering sensitive information about national defense systems. The espionage efforts focused on acquiring data related to missile technologies, drone development, and other advanced military tools. Additionally, the group is believed to have been involved in surveillance activities on U.S. soil, including intimidation campaigns against Chinese dissidents and American citizens of Chinese descent.
The announcement follows a troubling trend of recent cases involving U.S. military personnel allegedly passing information to foreign governments. Bongino referred to these incidents as “espionage bordering on treason,” underscoring the seriousness of the threat.
Since January 2025, the FBI has arrested 51 foreign intelligence operatives from hostile states including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. The wide-ranging charges include theft of classified materials, economic espionage, sanctions violations, and the illegal transfer of sensitive biological and technological resources.
Currently, the FBI is managing nearly 5,000 active counterintelligence investigations, with over 800 new cases opened this year alone—a sharp rise reflecting the growing threat of foreign intelligence activity inside the U.S.
Bongino acknowledged the agency’s controversial past and emphasized that transparency and public accountability are now top priorities. “We typically conduct counterintelligence work quietly,” he said, “but we recognize the need to earn back the trust of the American people.”
To that end, the FBI has recently declassified thousands of pages of previously secret counterintelligence material. These documents have been submitted to Congress to promote oversight and demonstrate the agency’s renewed focus on lawful operations and national security.
“Protecting the integrity of our democracy requires vigilance,” Bongino concluded. “We owe it to our citizens—and especially to those who serve in uniform—to confront these threats head-on.”
As global tensions continue to rise, particularly with China and other adversarial nations, U.S. intelligence agencies are expected to maintain and expand their efforts to expose and dismantle foreign spy operations. The FBI’s recent actions serve as a reminder of the complex and evolving nature of international espionage—and the high stakes involved in defending against it.