Two Chinese nationals, Liren “Ryan” Lai and Yuance Chen, were arrested in Texas and Oregon on June 27, 2025, accused of spying on the U.S. Navy as unregistered foreign agents.
The Department of Justice announced that Lai, 39, was apprehended by the FBI in Houston, Texas, while Chen, 38, was arrested in Happy Valley, Oregon.
Both arrests were part of a coordinated counterintelligence operation focused on their alleged involvement in espionage activities aimed at gathering sensitive information on U.S. Navy personnel and military installations.
According to prosecutors, Lai entered the United States in April 2025 on a tourist visa but engaged in activities beyond the scope of his sanctioned travel.
Authorities allege that he concealed the true purpose of his visit and sought to obtain classified information related to U.S. naval capabilities. Lai reportedly made contact with individuals connected to military bases in the Houston area, attempting to recruit U.S. service members to provide intelligence.
Chen, a resident of Oregon, allegedly collaborated with Lai in efforts to infiltrate military circles and acquire defense secrets. Both men are accused of acting as undercover agents for the People’s Republic of China without notifying U.S. authorities, which violates federal law.
Court documents reveal that the two attempted to gain unauthorized access to military secrets and recruit U.S. service members to provide classified information. The charges against them include acting as unregistered foreign agents and attempting to gather defense information.
