US strategist Ashley J. Tellis was arrested in Virginia for unlawfully keeping classified defense documents.
The FBI found over 1,000 pages of secret files allegedly taken from government offices.
Tellis faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted under the U.S. Espionage Act.
A well-known U.S. strategist of Indian origin, Ashley J. Tellis, has been arrested in Virginia for allegedly retaining classified national defense documents unlawfully. According to the Attorney’s Office of Virginia, he also met with Chinese officials. The 64-year-old was taken into custody on October 11, 2025, following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
U.S. officials have accused Tellis of illegally storing over a thousand pages of documents labeled “Top Secret” and “Secret” at his home in Vienna, Virginia. Prosecutors claim that he took the papers from the Defense and State Departments without authorization between September and October 2025. An FBI search conducted at his home reportedly revealed the materials stored in filing cabinets and even trash bags.
Court documents also point to his contact with Chinese officials over the years. One such meeting, a dinner in 2022, allegedly involved an exchange of envelopes, followed by later interactions involving gift-giving. Investigations are underway to determine whether any classified information was exchanged. If found guilty of violating Section 793(e) of the U.S. Espionage Act, Tellis could face up to ten years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Ashley Tellis was born in India and later moved to the U.S. for higher education, earning a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Chicago. Over time, he became one of Washington's most respected experts on security and strategic affairs. He served as a senior adviser in the U.S. State Department and as a special assistant on the National Security Council under President George W. Bush.
Currently, he is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, holding the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs. Tellis has authored several books, including Striking Asymmetries: Nuclear Transitions in Southern Asia and Revising U.S. Grand Strategy Toward China. He is known for his deep understanding of U.S.–India relations and Asian security issues.
The case has raised questions about the handling of classified information by external consultants and the potential risks of foreign contacts in sensitive national security positions. The investigation is still ongoing. [Rh/Eth/SY]
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