Feb 14, 2026

2 Chinese nationals living in US charged in alleged spy operation targeting the military, officials say

PORTLAND, Oregon — Federal prosecutors in the United States have brought serious charges against two Chinese nationals accused of secretly working on behalf of China’s intelligence services in an effort to gather sensitive information related to the U.S. military.

Authorities say the case represents a coordinated attempt to infiltrate American defense circles and obtain national security intelligence for China.

According to officials, 38-year-old Yuance Chen and 39-year-old Liren Lai — who also reportedly used the name Ryan Lai — were arrested on Friday as part of a coordinated operation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The arrests took place in Oregon and Texas following a lengthy investigation by federal authorities.

Both men appeared in federal court on Monday after charges were filed in the Northern District of California.

Prosecutors accuse them of acting as unregistered agents of the Chinese government while conducting covert intelligence operations linked to the Ministry of State Security, China’s main civilian intelligence organization, which plays a role similar to that of intelligence agencies in other major countries.

Authorities say Chen is a permanent resident of the United States and has been living in Happy Valley, Oregon.

Lai, meanwhile, was reportedly residing in Houston after entering the United States earlier this year on a tourist visa in April.

Federal investigators claim the two men were involved in a long-running effort to gather information related to the U.S. Navy and to potentially recruit American military personnel to provide sensitive information.

According to prosecutors, the activities began as early as 2021 and involved a number of covert methods often associated with intelligence operations.

One of those methods allegedly included the use of “dead drops,” a classic espionage technique in which cash or materials are secretly left at a predetermined location for another person to retrieve later.

Court documents state that investigators uncovered evidence of a $10,000 cash payment that was delivered through such a method in California.

The case documents describe how Chen allegedly received detailed instructions from handlers connected to Chinese intelligence.

Those instructions reportedly included guidance on how to approach potential contacts within the U.S. military and how to avoid attracting attention from law enforcement.

Prosecutors also allege that Chen attempted to build relationships with individuals connected to the United States Navy.

The goal, according to investigators, was to obtain sensitive information regarding personnel and operations that could be valuable to foreign intelligence services.

In one instance described in court filings, Chen and associates allegedly visited naval facilities without authorization and attempted to establish contact with a Navy employee.

Authorities say these actions raised serious concerns about potential attempts to gain access to restricted information or recruit insiders.

Court records also indicate that Chen’s wife may have unknowingly assisted with certain aspects of the operation.

Investigators say Chen instructed her to retrieve $10,000 in cash and travel from Portland to San Francisco to locate a suitable drop site.

According to prosecutors, the cash was eventually placed inside a backpack and left in a locker at a bowling alley, where it could later be retrieved.

Officials say such methods are commonly used in espionage operations because they allow individuals to exchange money or materials without direct contact.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi commented on the case, describing it as a serious attempt to undermine American national security.

FBI Arrests Two Chinese Citizens Accused of Spying on U.S. Navy

“These arrests expose a brazen effort to undermine our national security from within,” Bondi said in a statement.

“We will not tolerate foreign intelligence operations targeting our military and national defense systems.”

The investigation was carried out by the FBI with support from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the federal agency responsible for investigating criminal and counterintelligence threats affecting Navy personnel and operations.

Authorities say both men are currently being held at the Multnomah County jail in Oregon.

During their court appearance on Monday, a federal judge ordered that they remain in custody without bail while the case proceeds through the legal system.

If convicted on the charges of acting as unregistered agents of a foreign government and participating in covert intelligence operations, Chen and Lai could face significant penalties.

Prosecutors say each man could receive a prison sentence of up to 10 years, along with fines of up to $250,000.

The case highlights ongoing concerns within the United States government regarding foreign intelligence efforts targeting American military institutions.

Federal authorities have repeatedly warned that sensitive defense information is a prime target for international espionage activities.

As the investigation continues, officials say they will carefully examine all evidence related to the alleged operation and determine whether additional individuals may have been involved.

The case remains ongoing, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

The Bride Locked the Groom’s Daughter in the Bathroom — But One Cry Made the Wedding Stop

The luxurious wedding was only minutes away from beginning.

The guests had already filled the grand hall, the bride stood beautifully in her white gown, and Lucas was ready to walk down the aisle.

But at that exact moment, he heard a weak knock from the end of the hallway…

“Daddy… I’m scared…”

Lucas rushed over and found his little daughter locked inside the bathroom. When the door opened, the trembling girl ran into his arms and pointed toward the bride.

Her next words left the entire wedding frozen:

“She said… after today, I wouldn’t be family anymore.”

And when the secret hidden inside the wedding dress was finally revealed, both families understood the real reason the bride wanted the child out of the ceremony…

👉 Continue the full story in the comments to find out what Lucas did after he took off the wedding ring"

Chapter 1: The Promise Lucas Made

Two years before the wedding, Lucas Bennett stood beside a hospital bed, holding his wife’s hand as rain tapped softly against the window.

Grace Bennett was only thirty-two, but illness had taken nearly all her strength. Still, when she looked at Lucas, her eyes were clear.

“Promise me,” she whispered.

Lucas leaned closer. “Anything.”

Grace turned her head toward the small sofa by the window, where Lily slept under a yellow blanket.

She was four then, with dark curls and one hand wrapped around a stuffed rabbit.

“Promise me Lily will never feel like a guest in her own home.”

Lucas swallowed hard. “She won’t.”

“Not even if you marry again.”

Lucas closed his eyes. “Grace…”

“One day, you may need someone,” Grace said softly. “I don’t want you to be alone forever.

But whoever comes into your life must love her too. Not tolerate her. Not push her aside. Love her.”

Lucas kissed her hand. “I promise.”

Grace smiled faintly. “There’s a letter. For the day you forget.”

“I won’t forget.”

“People forget when they’re lonely,” she said. “So I wrote it down.”

A week later, Grace was gone.

After the funeral, Lucas became two people.

In public, he was the strong CEO of Bennett Development, the man who signed contracts, shook hands, and built towers across the city.

At home, he was a father who learned how to braid hair badly, burn pancakes, check under the bed for monsters, and answer impossible questions about heaven.

Lily became his whole world.

For a long time, Lucas believed that was enough.

Then Vanessa Hart entered his life.

Vanessa appeared at a charity auction in New York wearing a navy dress and a smile that made every photographer turn.

She was graceful, educated, and calm. Her family owned Hartwell Events, a once-famous wedding and luxury planning company. She knew how to speak to donors, how to flatter old money, and how to make everyone feel seen.

When Lucas first met her, she was helping a waiter pick up broken glasses from the floor.

“You don’t have to do that,” Lucas said.

Vanessa laughed lightly. “Someone has to. People only notice beauty when the mess is gone.”

It was the kind of sentence that stayed with him.

Their relationship moved slowly at first. Lucas introduced her to Lily after three months. He watched carefully, ready to end everything at the first sign of discomfort.

Vanessa knelt in front of Lily and offered her a small box of watercolor pencils.

“I heard you like drawing,” Vanessa said.

Lily looked at Lucas for permission, then accepted the gift. “I draw houses.”

“Then maybe one day you’ll design one better than your dad’s.”

Lucas laughed.

That night, Lily told him, “She smells like flowers.”

“Is that good?”

Lily nodded. “I think so.”

Lucas allowed himself to hope.

Vanessa never rushed him. She never complained when Lily climbed into his lap during dinner or interrupted phone calls to show him drawings. She sent Lily little gifts: ribbons, books, a tiny pearl bracelet.

Everyone said the same thing.

“She’s wonderful with your daughter.”

Lucas wanted to believe it.

And for a while, he did.

The first sign was so small Lucas almost missed it.

They were having dinner at his house. Lily reached for the bread, and her sleeve knocked over a glass of water.

“I’m sorry!” Lily said quickly.

Lucas grabbed a napkin. “It’s okay, sweetheart.”

But Vanessa’s smile tightened.

“Lily,” she said gently, “big girls pay attention.”

Lily looked down. “I didn’t mean to.”

“I know,” Vanessa replied. “But at important dinners, accidents can embarrass your father.”

Lucas glanced up.

Vanessa’s tone was soft. Too soft to criticize. Too polished to challenge.

Later, he found Lily sitting on the stairs.

“Did I embarrass you?” she asked.

Lucas felt something twist inside him.

“No,” he said firmly. “Never.”

“She said important dinners are different.”

Lucas sat beside her. “You are more important than any dinner.”

Lily leaned against him, comforted.

When Lucas mentioned it to Vanessa that night, she looked wounded.

“I was only trying to help her,” Vanessa said. “People will judge her because of who you are. I thought you wanted her prepared.”

Lucas apologized.

That became the pattern.

Vanessa would say something sharp, but wrap it in concern. Lucas would question it. Vanessa would look hurt. Then he would doubt himself.

Loneliness had made him tired.

Vanessa understood tired men.

She knew exactly how to make them feel guilty for noticing the truth

Six months after Lucas proposed, Vanessa suggested Whitmore Manor for the wedding.

It was a grand estate outside the city, famous for its gardens, marble hall, and long history of society weddings. Grace had once loved the place. She had visited it as a girl, before her family lost their old connections.

Lucas hesitated. “Grace liked Whitmore Manor.”

Vanessa placed a hand over his. “Then it can be a way to honor the past while beginning again.”

That sentence won him over.

The wedding became the event of the season. Vanessa planned every detail: the roses, the music, the guest list, the seating chart, the menu, even the color of Lily’s flower basket.

But as the day came closer, Lily grew quieter.

She stopped talking about the wedding.

She stopped practicing her flower-girl walk.

One evening, Lucas found her hiding in the library with her stuffed rabbit.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Lily pressed her face into the rabbit’s ears. “Do I have to go away after the wedding?”

Lucas’s heart jumped. “What? Who said that?”

Lily’s eyes widened, as if she had said too much.

“No one.”

“Lily.”

She shook her head. “I don’t remember.”

Lucas went to Vanessa.

Vanessa looked shocked. “Lucas, I would never say that.”

“She asked if she had to go away.”

“Maybe she’s afraid of change,” Vanessa said. “Children imagine things.”

Lucas wanted to believe her again.

But that night, when he tucked Lily into bed, she whispered, “Daddy, when people get a new family, can the old family still stay?”

Lucas sat beside her until she fell asleep.

Long after midnight, he remembered Grace’s words.

People forget when they’re lonely

Three days before the wedding, Lily wandered into the attic.

She was not supposed to be there. Lucas had told her the attic was dusty and full of old boxes. But Lily was looking for a ribbon her mother used to tie around her hair.

Grace’s things had been stored in a cedar chest beneath the slanted roof.

Lily opened it carefully.

Inside were scarves, letters, photographs, and a small white envelope with Lucas’s name on it.

She recognized her mother’s handwriting from birthday cards Lucas kept in a frame.

For Lucas, when the day comes that Lily needs you to remember.

Lily did not open it at first.

She hugged it.

Then she heard footsteps.

Vanessa climbed into the attic, lifting her dress slightly to avoid dust.

“What are you doing up here?” she asked.

Lily held the envelope behind her back. “Looking for Mommy’s ribbon.”

Vanessa’s eyes moved to Lily’s hands.