Former CIA officer pleads guilty to spying for China in Honolulu courtroom

A man named Alexander Yuk Ching Ma, who used to work for the CIA and FBI, admitted in court that he spied for China for over ten years. He was arrested in August 2020 and has been in custody since then. The Justice Department had a lot of evidence against him, including a video of him giving secret information to Chinese intelligence officers. He accepted money for spying and said he wanted China to succeed. The information he shared included details about CIA operations and communication methods. If he didn't plead guilty, he could have been in prison for life. Ma had a high-level security clearance and worked as a language specialist for the FBI in Honolulu. He copied and stole classified documents for six years, taking them to China and receiving money and gifts in return. The FBI actually hired him to keep an eye on his interactions with Chinese intelligence officers. Ma knew he was breaking the law by sharing secrets that could harm the U.S. or help another country. In court, it was revealed that Ma claimed to have Alzheimer's disease and memory problems. His brother, who was also involved, couldn't be charged due to his Alzheimer's and has since passed away. Ma pleaded guilty to conspiracy to share national defense information with a foreign government to avoid a life sentence. He was born in Hong Kong, moved to Honolulu, and became a U.S. citizen.