Security forces have arrested a former US Air Force officer and pilot. Like that US Department of Justice According to reports, pilot Gerald Eddie Brown Jr. is accused of betraying his country.

The accusation: The 65-year-old is said to have trained Chinese military pilots. Brown was arrested on Wednesday in the US state of Indiana.

Ex-fighter jet pilot accused of treason

According to the statement from the US Department of Justice, Brown is said to have traveled to China in December 2023 and stayed there until early February 2026. On the first day of his stay, he spent hours answering questions about the US Air Force.

For 24 years, until 1996, Brown, now 65, was part of the Air Force. During his military career, he commanded units responsible for nuclear weapons delivery systems, led combat missions, and served as an instructor.

After his active time, Brown worked as a pilot for civilian cargo airlines and later was a contract instructor for two US defense companies. There he is said to have trained US military pilots on simulators like the portal flugrevue.de writes.

“Warning to everyone”: FBI and Justice Department are reacting harshly

“When U.S. citizens – whether military personnel or civilians – train foreign forces, it is illegal unless they have authorization from the State Department,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg was quoted as saying by the US Department of Justice.

The Department of National Security will “use every tool at its disposal to protect our military assets and hold those who are accountable.”

“Gerald Brown, a former F-35 Lightning II instructor with decades of experience flying U.S. military aircraft, allegedly betrayed his country by training Chinese pilots to fight against those he was sworn to protect,” said Roman Rozhavsky, deputy director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Counterintelligence Division.

“We will hold him accountable for his actions”

The Chinese government is using the expertise of active and former members of the US armed forces to expand its own military capabilities. “This arrest serves as a warning,” Rozhavsky said.

“As an Air Force officer, Brown swore to defend our nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic. He broke that oath,” the Justice Department quoted U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Ferris Pirro as saying. “We will hold Brown and anyone who conspires against our nation accountable for their actions.”