Ashley J Tellis, a prominent foreign policy scholar and defence strategist of Indian origin, has been arrested and charged with unlawfully retaining classified national defence information, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Tellis, 64, currently serves as a senior fellow and Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Authorities took him into custody over the weekend following a federal investigation into his handling of restricted government materials.
Prosecutors allege that Tellis violated 18 U.S.C. § 793(e), a statute that prohibits the unauthorised possession or retention of defence-related documents. Investigators are reportedly examining further claims that he removed classified materials from secure government facilities and held meetings with Chinese officials. The investigation is said to have uncovered evidence suggesting potential breaches of national security protocols.
In a statement, US Attorney Lindsey Halligan described the alleged actions as posing “a grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens.” If convicted, Tellis faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and the forfeiture of the materials involved. Officials have underscored that the charges remain allegations at this stage and that Tellis is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
