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Dingwei Chen pleads guilty to smuggling U.S. military equipment to China
Dingwei Chen, a 29-year-old Chinese citizen, has pleaded guilty in a Utah federal court to violating the Arms Export Control Act. He attempted to illegally acquire military-grade satellite modems and radio equipment manufactured by U.S. companies for the United States Armed Forces.
According to court documents, Chen conspired with individuals in China to purchase sensitive communication systems through black-market arms traffickers. The group explored several smuggling routes, including transshipment through Switzerland and Saipan, before ultimately deciding to use Mexico as a route to transport the equipment to China.
To avoid detection, the group used encrypted communication applications and cryptocurrency, specifically Tether (USDT), to complete payments. After an initial payment exceeding $40,000, they used approximately $30,000 in cryptocurrency to finalize the purchase of 10 modems. Chen claimed the operation was a trial run and stated he possessed funds to acquire tens of millions of dollars in additional military equipment.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). Chen faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for October 19.
Entities
China · David Sam · Defense Criminal Investigative Service · Dingwei Chen · Homeland Security Investigations · U.S. Department of Justice · United States
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The case was investigated jointly by agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). www.stheadline.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The court is expected to announce the sentence on October 19. www.stheadline.com · www.epochtimes.com · laopinion.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] The conspirators ultimately decided to smuggle the equipment through Mexico to reach China. codigoqro.mx · www.stheadline.com · udgtv.com · www.epochtimes.com · laopinion.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Chen claimed the transaction was a trial run and that he had funds to purchase tens of millions of dollars worth of additional military equipment. codigoqro.mx · udgtv.com · www.epochtimes.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] The group used cryptocurrency, specifically Tether (USDT), to make payments and avoid identification. codigoqro.mx · www.stheadline.com · udgtv.com · www.epochtimes.com · laopinion.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Chen faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. www.stheadline.com · www.epochtimes.com · laopinion.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] Dingwei Chen, 29, pleaded guilty in a Utah federal court to violating the Arms Export Control Act. codigoqro.mx · www.stheadline.com · udgtv.com · www.epochtimes.com · laopinion.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] The targeted equipment consisted of military-grade satellite modems and radios manufactured by U.S. companies. codigoqro.mx · www.stheadline.com · udgtv.com · www.epochtimes.com · laopinion.com