A Taiwan-born American citizen has admitted selling nuclear information to China while he was a senior manager at the U.S. government’s Tennessee Valley Authority, federal officials say.

Court records unsealed Friday show that Ching Ning Guey admitted traveling to China and receiving payments in return for handing over restricted information about U.S. nuclear technology. Federal officials who discussed the case indicated China is suspected of running a spy program to evade U.S. security precautions and collect high-tech information.

An indictment filed more than a year ago but kept secret charged Guey with one count of conspiracy to illegally participate in the development of nuclear material outside of the United States and one count of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government. Prosecutors say he had been specifically warned not to share restricted nuclear information in advance of his trip to China.

No sentencing yet

Guey has pleaded guilty to the charges but a date for sentencing has not yet been set. Until then he remains free; U.S. authorities indicated he has cooperated with investigators.

A nuclear engineer born in China who is a long-time acquaintance of Guey, Szuhsiung Ho, was indicted separately and has been arrested on espionage charges.

Read More: VOA

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