NRI Ashley Tellis, US adviser arrested over ‘national defence information’
Los Angeles/Oct 15, 2025
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/A.Gary Singh
NRI Ashley Tellis, 64, US foreign policy expert, has been arrested and charged with the unlawful retention of national defense information, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. The arrest marks a serious breach under 18 U.S.C. § 793(e) of the Espionage Act, which governs the handling of classified materials related to national security.
Tellis, a well-known diplomat and senior adviser on defense and strategic affairs, was taken into custody over the weekend following an investigation by federal authorities. Prosecutors allege that he unlawfully retained sensitive documents containing classified national defense information without proper authorization.
According to the criminal complaint, the materials in question were discovered at Tellis’s residence in Vienna, Virginia, during a search operation conducted by federal agents. Officials have not disclosed the nature or volume of the information but confirmed that it relates to U.S. defense matters.
Lindsey Halligan, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced the charges, emphasizing that the retention of classified national defense documents poses serious risks to U.S. national security. “Protecting sensitive government information is of the utmost importance. Any breach, intentional or otherwise, will be met with firm legal action,” Halligan said.
Ashley Tellis, a highly respected figure in international relations, previously served as a senior adviser to the U.S. State Department, National Security Council, and as a distinguished fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He has been a key voice in strengthening U.S.-India strategic ties, particularly in defense and security cooperation.
Tellis was presented before a federal magistrate in Virginia and is currently awaiting a detention hearing. If convicted, he could face significant prison time under federal law.
The U.S. Department of Justice has stated that the investigation remains ongoing and that no further details will be released at this stage due to the sensitive nature of the case.
This News was originally published on justice.gov
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