A former senior Federal Reserve official, John Rogers, has been arrested and charged with leaking sensitive economic information to Chinese officials. Rogers, who worked as a senior adviser in the Fed’s international finance division from 2010 to 2021, is accused of using his access to confidential data, including trade policies and briefings, to benefit foreign entities. According to an indictment unsealed last week, Rogers transferred the information to his personal email account and communicated with Chinese officials, who were allegedly disguised as graduate students, via encrypted messaging apps.
The Justice Department’s announcement added that Rogers had met with these officials in Chinese hotel rooms under the guise of teaching classes, where he reportedly handed over the sensitive trade secrets. He also received approximately $450,000 as part of a part-time teaching role at Fudan University in China.
The charges against Rogers are part of a larger pattern of U.S. officials accused of leaking information to China. As noted by the Financial Times, this case highlights the growing concerns over Chinese espionage and the increasing vigilance required by U.S. officials handling sensitive information. With China being one of the largest holders of U.S. Treasury securities, any leakage of financial data is of significant concern for both national security and global markets.
