American authorities have arrested and charged a former CIA officer with selling state secrets to China, Reuters reports.
Alexander Yuk Ching Ma (67), a Hong Kong born naturalised American, was arrested on Friday and charged with conspiring to sell high value secret information to China. He worked for the CIA between 1982 and 1989, as did an elderly relative who is also implicated in the conspiracy.
Prosecutors allege that the retired spy, who had access to top level security clearance, received thousands of dollars in gifts and cash from the Chinese government in exchange for secrets starting in 2001.
This comes as China and the United States are locked in bitter diplomatic disputes over espionage allegations. Recently the US ordered China to close its consulate in Texas over concerns it was being used as a base for spying operations.
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