Two foreigners tried to export sensitive US defense technology to China in a blender, DOJ says
The US indicted two foreign nationals on Friday for attempting to smuggle US military technology to China, including missiles, air defense radar, drones, and cryptographic devices – at one point even plotting to ship the sensitive tech in a blender.
Image by Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
The US indicted two foreign nationals on Friday for attempting to smuggle US military technology to China, including missiles, air defense radar, drones, and cryptographic devices – at one point even plotting to ship the sensitive tech in a blender.
What’s more, the two are accused of stalking a Chinese dissident, a legal permanent resident of the US – all over a pair of statues depicting China’s President and his wife, but more on that later.
The US Justice Department (DoJ) said the two men, 43-year-old Cui Guanghai of China, and 63-year-old John Miller of the UK, along wth an unnamed legal permanent resident of the US, began plotting to carry out the illegal export scheme in November 2023.
According to court documents, Miller and Cui tried to get their hands on the sensitive defense tech from two unnamed individuals with the intent to export the articles to the People’s Republic of China.
"This Justice Department will not tolerate foreign repression on US soil, nor will we allow hostile nations to infiltrate or exploit our defense systems. We will act decisively to expose and dismantle these threats wherever they emerge," US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said.
Two Foreign Nationals Indicted for Plot to Silence U.S. Dissident and Smuggle U.S. Military Technology to China
undefined National Security Division, U.S. Dept of Justice (@DOJNatSec) May 30, 2025
🔗: https://t.co/Lo3JGO7cLh pic.twitter.com/SJeC0AWYAT
Facing three counts each of conspiracy, smuggling, and violations of the Arms Export Control Act, officials say the duo plunked down a $10,000 deposit for the cryptographic device (and its associated crypto ignition keys) via a courier in the states after making a wire transfer to a US bank account.
Cui and Miller were also said to have been attempting to collect other sensitive technology, such as missiles, air defense radar, and drones, and were plotting to ship the materials to China by way of Hong Kong.
The DoJ said the two discussed different ways to export the cryptographic device with the individuals who took the deposit – including by concealing it in a blender.
Other ideas involved hiding the device in small electronics or a motor starter.
Stalking dissident over statue of China's president
According to court documents, from October 2023 and again in 2025, Cui and Miller targeted a Chinese dissident, now legally living in the US, to try and prevent them from speaking out against the Chinese government.
In the first incident, the dissident planned to protest at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit held in November 2023, in which President Xi was making an appearance.
“The victim had previously made public statements in opposition to the policies and actions of the PRC government and President Xi,” the DoJ said.
In the most recent incident, the victim announced plans to post an online video depicting a pair of artistic statues of President Xi and his wife, which the victim had created.
Cui and Miller are said to have hired two other individuals – who were actually working for the FBI – and paid them over $36,000 to pressure the victim to abandon his online video posting plans.
The FBI said in the weeks leading up to the APEC summit, the two conspirators “directed and coordinated an interstate scheme to surveil the victim,” which involved installing a tracking device on the victim’s car and slashing its tires. Cui and Miller also attempted to purchase and destroy the pair of statues.
“As alleged, the defendants targeted a US resident for exercising his constitutional right to free speech and conspired to traffic sensitive American military technology to the Chinese regime,” said Blanche. “This is a blatant assault on both our national security and our democratic values.”
If convicted on all counts, Cui and Miller each could face a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison.
The maximum convictions include up to five years for conspiracy, five years for interstate stalking, 10 years for smuggling, and up to 20 years for violating the Arms Export Control Act.
US officials said they are currently in talks with Serbian authorities regarding the pending extraditions of Cui and Miller from Serbia, presumably where the two are presently located.