Indian-Origin Pentagon Adviser Ashley Tellis Arrested in U.S. for Allegedly Mishandling Defense Documents, FBI Links Him to Chinese Officials

Washington: In a dramatic development that has sent ripples through U.S. defense and diplomatic circles, Ashley Tellis, an Indian-origin scholar and former Pentagon contractor who also served as an unpaid adviser to the U.S. State Department, has been arrested on charges of unlawfully retaining national defense information.

According to an FBI affidavit unsealed on Tuesday, Tellis — a well-known expert on South Asian strategic affairs — is accused of accessing and removing classified Air Force tactical documents while working as a contractor with the Office of Net Assessment (ONA), a Pentagon think tank responsible for evaluating long-term security threats.

Investigators allege that Tellis held multiple meetings with Chinese government officials over the past few years. One such meeting reportedly took place in April 2023 at a restaurant in a Washington DC suburb, where he was overheard discussing Iran-China relations and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, the affidavit noted.

The FBI claims that Tellis frequently dined with Chinese officials at a Fairfax, Virginia restaurant. During one of these meetings, he was seen carrying a manila envelope which he did not take back when leaving. On at least two other occasions, the officials allegedly presented him with gift bags, raising further suspicion about the nature of their interactions.

The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Lindsey Halligan, confirmed the charges, stating that Tellis has been booked under 18 U.S.C. § 793(e) — a provision dealing with the unlawful retention of national defense information.

“We are fully focused on protecting the American people from all threats, foreign and domestic. The charges as alleged in this case represent a grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens,” said US Attorney Lindsey Halligan in a statement.

“The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.” (Source: U.S. Department of Justice statement)

Tellis, who had built a reputation as a respected voice on India–U.S. relations and defense strategy, now faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and possible forfeiture if convicted. Sentencing, however, will ultimately depend on federal guidelines and judicial discretion.

The Office of Net Assessment, where Tellis served as a contractor, was announced to be dismantled and restructured earlier this year, a move that some analysts now believe could have been influenced by ongoing internal security reviews.