Fort Bliss Soldier Charged With Espionage, Export Crimes

Taylor Adam Lee, a 22-year-old active-duty U.S. Army soldier at Fort Bliss, Texas, has been arrested and charged with attempted espionage and violations of the Arms Export Control Act after allegedly attempting to share classified and export-controlled information about the M1A2 Abrams tank and U.S. armored combat operations with Russia in exchange for citizenship. Prosecutors allege Lee began his efforts in May 2025 by offering technical data online to individuals he believed were from the Russian Ministry of Defense, and in June transmitted information about tank vulnerabilities. In July, Lee reportedly provided an SD card with classified documents during an in-person meeting and delivered a piece of tank hardware to a storage unit, after which he messaged 'Mission accomplished.' Lee held a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance but was not authorized to share the material. The FBI, Army Counterintelligence Command, and Justice Department have described the case as a serious insider threat and warning to others. Prosecutors have requested Lee be held without bond, and he faces significant federal prison time if convicted.