Two foreign nationals face U.S. charges for attempting to smuggle military technology to China and targeting a dissident.

Justice Department Exposes Espionage and Harassment Plot

The U.S. Department of Justice has charged two foreign nationals in a complex scheme to smuggle sensitive American military equipment to China and intimidate a U.S. resident critical of Chinese leadership. The charges come amid heightened scrutiny under President Donald Trump’s directive to tighten visa screening and combat foreign influence.

Cui Guanghai, 43, a Chinese national, and John Miller, 63, a British citizen and U.S. permanent resident, were named in federal court documents unsealed Friday. They face multiple charges, including conspiracy, smuggling, violating the Arms Export Control Act, and interstate stalking. According to prosecutors, Cui was operating on behalf of the Chinese government.

The Justice Department alleges that starting in November 2023, Cui and Miller sought to illegally acquire and export military-grade technology, including missiles, radar systems, drones, and a cryptographic device. Unbeknownst to them, two individuals they attempted to recruit were cooperating with the FBI. Discussions reportedly included concealing the device inside a blender or shipping it through Hong Kong to evade detection.

Court records also outline a separate campaign of harassment against a U.S. citizen who had publicly criticized Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November 2023. Cui and Miller allegedly plotted to install a GPS tracker on the person’s car, damage the vehicle, and destroy sculptures of Xi and his wife created by the dissident. The individuals they recruited for the operation were, in fact, FBI informants.

“The defendants targeted a U.S. resident for exercising his constitutional right to free speech and conspired to traffic sensitive American military technology to the Chinese regime,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This is a blatant assault on both our national security and our democratic values.”

Both Cui and Miller were arrested by Serbian law enforcement in April following a request from U.S. authorities. They remain in custody as extradition proceedings are underway in cooperation with the Serbian government.

If convicted, each faces up to five years for conspiracy, five years for stalking, ten years for smuggling, and twenty years for violations related to military export controls. The People's Republic of China’s embassy has not issued a public statement. The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has confirmed that consular assistance is being provided to Miller.

Visa Restrictions Reflect Rising National Security Concerns

In parallel to the criminal investigation, the U.S. State Department has introduced new policies to intensify the vetting of visa applicants, particularly those from China and Hong Kong. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in May that visa criteria would be revised to ensure greater scrutiny and national security compliance moving forward.

This case highlights the increasing efforts by the United States to defend against foreign espionage and safeguard both democratic rights and classified defense technologies from hostile exploitation.