Britain Indicted for Alleged Plot to Silence U.S. Dissident and Smuggle U.S. Military Technology to China

John Miller, a 63-year-old British national, and Cui Guanghai, a 43-year-old Chinese national, are wanted by the FBI for their alleged involvement in

• Targeting a U.S. resident for exercising his constitutional right to free speech and

• Conspiring to traffic sensitive American military technology to the Chinese regime. A plot to smuggle sensitive American military technology to China.

They face charges of conspiracy to commit interstate stalking, smuggling, and violations of the Arms Control Act.

The two men remain in Serbia, and the US is coordinating with Serbian officials regarding their pending extradition.

The indictment

1. Alleges that Miller and Cui attempted to export various U.S. defence articles, including missiles, air defence radar, drones, and cryptographic devices. Additionally, they are accused of harassing an anti-Chinese government protester by installing a tracking device on their car and slashing their tires.
2. Also alleges the pair enlisted two individuals in the US to carry out a plot that would have prevented a victim from protesting against Chinese President Xi Jinping's attendance at the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit held in Los Angeles in November 2023.

Both men were arrested in Serbia and could face extradition to the U.S. if found guilty. Miller could face up to 20 years in prison for violating the Arms Export Control Act and 10 years for smuggling.

The case of an unlawful export from the United States

1. According to court documents, beginning in November 2023, Miller and Cui solicited the procurement of U.S. defense articles, including missiles, air defense radar, drones, and cryptographic devices with associated crypto ignition keys, from two individuals (individual five and Individual 6) for unlawful export from the United States to the People’s Republic of China.
2. In connection with the scheme, Cui and Miller discussed with Individuals 5 and 6 ways to export a cryptographic device from the United States to the People’s Republic of China, including concealing the device in a blender, small electronics, or motor starter, and shipping the device first to Hong Kong. Cui and Miller paid approximately $10,000 as a deposit for the cryptographic device via a courier in the United States and a wire transfer to a U.S. bank account.

Reported in the news

3. A British man has been indicted in the US for allegedly trying to smuggle "sensitive American military technology" to China, including missiles, air defence radar and drones.
4. John Miller, 63, and a Chinese man, Cui Guanghai, are wanted by the FBI on charges relating to conspiracy to commit interstate stalking and conspiracy, smuggling and violations of the Arms Control Act.
5. Mr Miller, a permanent US resident, and Mr Cui, 43, were arrested in Serbia. They remain there and could now face extradition to the US.
6. The Foreign Office has confirmed it is providing consular assistance to a British national following his April arrest and is "in touch with the local authorities and his family".
7. Court documents suggest the two men discussed exporting a device that could be used for encryption and decryption. They allegedly paid a deposit of $10,000 (£7,430) for the equipment.
8. Mr Miller and Mr Cui are also accused of trying to "harass" an anti-Chinese government protester, which included installing a tracking device on their car and slashing their tyres.
9. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche accused the pair of a "blatant assault" on US national security and its democratic values.
10. He added: "This Justice Department will not tolerate foreign repression on US soil, nor will we allow hostile nations to infiltrate or exploit our defence systems."
11. If found guilty, Mr Miller could face up to 20 years in prison for violating the Arms Export Control Act and 10 years for smuggling.
12. Court documents detail how the men allegedly solicited the procurement of US defence articles, including missiles, air defence radar, drones and cryptographic devices for unlawful export to China.
13. Mr Cui and Mr Miller are said to have discussed with two individuals, identified in court documents as "Individual 5" and "Individual 6", how to export a cryptographic device from the US to China.
14. The men allegedly discussed using small electronics, a blender, and a motor starter to smuggle the technology.

Also

15. The indictment also alleges the pair enlisted two individuals in the US to carry out a plot that would have prevented a victim from protesting against Chinese President Xi Jinping's attendance at the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit held in Los Angeles in November 2023.
16. Mr Miller and Mr Cui were unaware that those two individuals, identified in court documents as "Individual 1" and "Individual 2", were acting at the direction of the FBI.
17. "The indictment alleges that Chinese foreign actors targeted a victim in our nation because he criticised the Chinese government and its president," said US Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California.
18. "My office will continue to use all legal methods available to hold accountable foreign nationals engaging in criminal activity on our soil."
19. A similar scheme allegedly played out in the spring of 2025, when the alleged victim announced in a public video feed that he planned to unveil two new artistic statues that depicted Xi and his wife.
20. Mr Cui and Mr Miller paid two other individuals—identified in court documents as "Individual 3" and "Individual 4"—to try to dissuade the alleged victim from sharing his online display of statues.
21. Those individuals were paid $36,000 (£26,745), but the indictment notes that those two people were also affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.
22. The two men remain in Serbia, and the US is coordinating with Serbian officials regarding their pending extradition.
23. "An indictment is merely an allegation," the US Attorney's Office of the Central District of California said in a statement. "All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."

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