British businessman accused of plotting to smuggle US military technology to China

The Guardian

2 days ago

A British businessman has been indicted in the US with attempting to traffic sensitive American military technology to China and silence a critic of the Chinese president.
John Miller, 63, was named by US authorities at the weekend after his arrest in Serbia, where he is facing extradition in connection with an FBI investigation. The Mail on Sunday reported that he was from Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Both he and a Chinese man, Cui Guanghai, are wanted in the US on charges relating to conspiracy to commit interstate stalking and conspiracy, smuggling and violations of the Arms Control Act.
Both were named in US court documents, which included allegations that they had discussed ways to smuggle encryption technology out of the US and into China. The documents allege they paid a $10,000 deposit for a cryptographic device via a courier in the US.
The same documents also allege that, beginning in November 2023, they had sought to purchase 'US defense articles, including missiles, air defense radar, drones, and cryptographic devices' for unlawful export to China.
The alleged plot involved them having discussions with other people – identified in the US court documents as 'Individual 5' and 'Individual 6' – about smuggling the encryption technology in small electronics, a blender and a motor starter.
Miller is also accused with Cui of plotting with two other individuals to prevent a US resident from protesting against the Chinese president Xi Jinping's attendance at the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) summit in Los Angeles in November 2023.
The alleged target was said to have previously made public statements in opposition to the policies and actions of the Chinese government and President Xi.
In the weeks leading up to the Apec summit, Cui and Miller are alleged to have directed and coordinated a plot to surveil the victim, install a tracking device on their car, slash the tyres on their car and then purchase and destroy a pair of artistic statues created by the victim depicting President Xi and his wife.
Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, the two individuals with whom they had allegedly conspired in relation to this were 'acting at the direction of the FBI'.
In spring last year, the alleged victim announced that he planned to make public an online video feed depicting two new artistic statues of President Xi and his wife.
Miller and Cui are alleged to have paid two other individuals, who were also working with the FBI, approximately $36,500 to convince the alleged victim to desist from the online display of the statues.
The US deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche, said: 'This is a blatant assault on both our national security and our democratic values. This justice department will not tolerate foreign repression on US soil, nor will we allow hostile nations to infiltrate or exploit our defence systems.'
The FBI deputy director, Dan Bongino, said: 'The defendants allegedly plotted to harass and interfere with an individual who criticised the actions of the People's Republic of China while exercising their constitutionally protected free speech rights within the United States of America.'
Miller, a permanent US resident, and Cui were named in indictments returned by federal grand juries in Milwaukee and Los Angeles. Miller was arrested in Belgrade on 24 April.
If convicted they face maximum penalties of five years in prison for conspiracy, five years in prison for stalking, 20 years in prison for violation of the US Arms Export Control Act and 10 years in prison for smuggling.
The US Department of Justice said it was coordinating with Serbian authorities regarding the pending extraditions of Cui and Miller from Serbia.