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Welcome to Spycraft, a podcast that
tells gripping life and death spy stories and

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the amazing devices and operations that made
them possible. Now, let's get started.

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Or US Navy sailor has ever been
arrested in charge with espionage. The

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indictment alleged that Way Jen Chow Way
Wi, also known as Patrick Way,

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was an active duties sailor on the
amphibious assault ship USS Essex Station and naval

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based San Diego. In his role
as a machinist mate, Way he held

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at US security cleans and had access
to sensitive national defense information about the ship's

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weapons, propulsion, and desolated desselination
systems. Amphibious assault ships like the Essex

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resembles small aircraft carriers and allow the
US military to protect project power maintain present

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by serving as the cornerstone or the
US Navy's amphibious readiness and expeditionary strike capabilities.

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The crime of espionage under US Code
Section seven nine four has never been

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charged in this district, and until
today, it only been charged five times

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in the last six years across the
country. The statutes reserved for the most

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serious circumstances involving the passage of National
Defense Information intendant to harm the US or

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for the benefit of a foreign power. This is what the indictment alleged.

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On February twenty twenty two, Way
began communicating with an intelligence officer from the

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People's Republic of China, who requests
of that Way provide information about the USS

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Essex and other Navy ships. A
Chinese officer tasked Way with passing in photos,

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videos, and documents concerning US Navy
ships and their systems. The two

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agree to hide their communications by deleting
records of their conversations and using encrypted methods

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of calm at the regress. At
the request of the intelligence officer, Way

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sent photographs and videos of the Essex, disclosed the locations of various Navy ships,

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and described defensive web of the Essex
between March twenty twenty two and the

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present, and exchange for the information, the intelligence officer was paid thousands of

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dollars over the course of the conspiracy. The indictment further alleged that in June

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of twenty twenty two, they sent
the intelligence officer approximately thirty technical or Way

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sent the intelligence officer of China thirty
technical and mechanical manuals. The manuals contained

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export control warnings and detail the operations
of multiple systems aboard the Essex and similarships,

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including power steering aircraft, and deck
elevators. The intelligence officer confirmed with

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Way that at least ten of those
manuals were useful to them. For passage

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of those materials, he paid them
five thousand dollars. In June twenty twenty

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two, the intelligence officer requested that
the Way provide information about the number and

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training of US Marines during an upcoming
international maritime exercise. Way sent multiple photographs

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of military equipment. Way also sent
an additional twenty six technical and mechanical manuals

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and related to the power, structure
and operation of the Essex. The manuals

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contained warnings that this was technical data
subject to export controls and that it was

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deemed critical technology by the US Navy. The indictment further alleged in October twenty

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twenty two, Way sent a technical
manual to the intelligence officer describing the layout

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and location of certain departments, including
birthing quarters and weapons systems. Specifically,

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Way sent to weapons control system manual
for the Essex and similar ships. The

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manual contained export controlled data that could
not be exported without a license from the

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US government. The intelligence officer continued
to request information in twenty twenty three,

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including information about the overhaul and upgrades
to the Essex. Specifically, he requests

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a blueprint, specifically those related to
modifications to the flight deck. Way provided

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the information related to the repairs,
as well as other mechanical problems with similar

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vessels. During the alleged conspiracy,
the intelligence officer instructed Way to gather US

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military information that was not public and
admonished him not to discuss their relationship and

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destroy any evidence regarding the nature of
their relationship and their activities. Petty Officer

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Way, who as a service member
was entrusted with the nation's secrets, was

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accused of selling out his country and
betraying his oath to the Navy. The

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case was investigated by the FBI and
the Naval in Criminal Investigative Service, and

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as being prosecuted by US attorneys John
Parmley and Friendshiphard