Ashley Tellis, a prominent Indian-origin foreign policy expert and former consultant/adviser to the US government, has been arrested and charged by the US Department of Justice in connection with the alleged unlawful retention of classified national defense information and multiple meetings with Chinese officials.

Here are the key details reported by the authorities and media:

Ashley Tellis, a prominent Indian-origin foreign policy expert and former consultant/adviser to the US government, has been arrested and charged by the US Department of Justice in connection with the alleged unlawful retention of classified national defense information and multiple meetings with Chinese officials.

Here are the key details reported by the authorities and media:

The Individual and His Role:

Ashley Tellis: He is a respected India and South Asian affairs specialist.

Affiliations: He has served as an unpaid senior adviser at the US State Department and as a contractor for the Pentagon's Office of Net Assessment (ONA). He is also a senior fellow and holds the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Past Service: He is a veteran policy strategist who served on the National Security Council staff during the George W. Bush administration and was involved in negotiating the US-India civil nuclear agreement.

The Allegations and Charges:

Charge: Tellis was charged by criminal complaint with the unlawful retention of national defense information (a violation of 18 USC § 793(e)).

Classified Documents: An FBI search of his home in Vienna, Virginia, reportedly recovered over a thousand pages of documents marked "TOP SECRET" and "SECRET." These documents were allegedly found in various locations, including locked filing cabinets and trash bags.

Document Removal: Court records allege that Tellis accessed, printed, and removed classified materials from Defense and State Department facilities in September and October 2025 (the year of the current event). Some documents allegedly concerned US military aircraft capabilities.TRASE Block Heels Sandals For Women, Dusky Stylish & Comfortable Footwear

The Meetings with Chinese Officials:

Frequency: The FBI affidavit cites that Tellis met with Chinese government officials multiple times over the past several years.

Specific Incidents:

September 2022: Tellis allegedly met Chinese officials at a Virginia restaurant, arriving with a manila envelope that he did not appear to take back with him when leaving.

April 2023: Authorities said Tellis and Chinese officials were overheard discussing sensitive topics like Iranian-Chinese relations and emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), during a dinner.

Gift Exchange: The affidavit also mentions an instance where Tellis received a gift bag from Chinese officials.Also Read: IIT Madras-Incubated Muse Wearables Partners with NPCI to Launch India's First Wearable Payments Ecosystem

The US Attorney stated that the charges represent a "grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens," and investigations are ongoing. If convicted, Tellis faces a maximum of ten years' imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.