An ex-CIA agent faces not only prison but a lifetime of polygraph tests after being found guilty of espionage for China.
At a Glance
- Alexander Yuk Ching Ma, a former CIA officer and FBI contract linguist, faces a decade in prison for spying for China.
- Ma received cash and expensive gifts in exchange for espionage.
- He will submit to polygraph tests for life as part of his plea deal.
- Ma has been in custody since 2020 and faced up to life in prison without the plea deal.
Ex-CIA Officer’s Espionage for China
Alexander Yuk Ching Ma, a former CIA officer and FBI contract linguist, has been sentenced to ten years in prison after being found guilty of espionage for China. Ma, who pleaded guilty, will also be required to undergo polygraph tests for the rest of his life.
Ma admitted to conspiring to gather and deliver national defense information to a foreign government. He was compensated with cash, golf clubs, and other expensive gifts in return for sensitive information. The plea deal, struck in May with federal prosecutors, led to his guilty plea and the ten-year imprisonment.
Ex-CIA officer who spied for China faces prison time — and a lifetime of polygraph tests https://t.co/PWiylB3KeI
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From Recruitment to Sentencing
Ma’s interactions with Chinese intelligence began after he moved to Shanghai, China. Tasked with identifying individuals in photographs, he collaborated with his older brother, a former CIA officer, who provided classified information in 2001 in exchange for $50,000. Ma then worked as an FBI contract linguist, a position he used to steal classified documents over six years.
“Because of my brother, I could not bring myself to report this crime,” Ma said in his letter to the judge. “He was like a father figure to me. In a way, I am also glad that he left this world, as that made me free to admit what I did.”
During a sting operation in 2006, Ma was caught accepting cash from an undercover FBI agent posing as a Chinese intelligence officer. He expressed his allegiance to China and his desire to see it succeed. Despite the gravity of his actions, Ma’s cooperation and the plea deal facilitated a reduced sentence.
Lifetime of Accountability
Ma’s sentencing includes an unusual requirement: lifelong polygraph testing. This measure aims to ensure continual accountability and protect national security. Since his guilty plea, Ma has participated in multiple sessions providing valuable information to the U.S. government.
“I hope God and America will forgive me for what I have done,” Ma expressed, reflecting his deep remorse for his actions.
Ma’s case underscores the critical importance of loyalty within the intelligence community and the severe consequences for those who betray the nation. His life sentence of polygraph tests is a testament to the rigorous measures taken to safeguard national security.
