The arrest of Ashley J. Tellis, the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, involves serious federal charges related to the alleged mishandling of U.S. classified information.
Here are the full details based on reports from the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) and the accompanying FBI affidavit:
Key Details of the Arrest
| Category | Details |
| Individual | Ashley J. Tellis, 64, Indian-origin U.S. defense and foreign policy expert. |
| Current Role | Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. |
| Government Status | Served on the National Security Council (George W. Bush administration); currently listed as an unpaid Senior Advisor to the U.S. Department of State and a contractor to the Pentagon’s Office of Net Assessment. |
| Date of Arrest | Arrested over the weekend of October 11-12, 2025. |
| Primary Charge | Unlawful retention of national defense information (Violation of 18 U.S.C. § 793(e)). |
| Maximum Penalty | Up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, if convicted. |
Allegations of Unlawful Retention of Classified Documents
The core of the charge is the alleged unauthorized copying and removal of classified materials from secure government facilities and storing them at his residence in Vienna, Virginia.
- Discovery of Documents: An FBI search of his home on October 11, 2025, reportedly uncovered over 1,000 pages of classified documents.
- Classification Levels: The recovered documents were marked at the “SECRET” and “TOP SECRET” levels.
- Storage Location: The files were found stored in various places, including locked filing cabinets and black trash bags in his basement office and storage room.
- Alleged Removal: The FBI affidavit cites multiple instances in September and October 2025 where:
- Tellis allegedly printed or had a colleague print classified documents on topics, including U.S. military aircraft capabilities.
- Surveillance video allegedly captured him leaving a State Department and a Defense Department facility carrying a briefcase or bag believed to contain the printed materials. One instance reportedly showed him concealing documents inside notepads before departing a facility.
Alleged Meetings with Chinese Officials
The affidavit also includes information about Tellis’s meetings with Chinese government officials, though it does not explicitly charge him with providing classified information to them:
- Multiple Encounters: The affidavit documents multiple meetings between Tellis and Chinese officials at restaurants in Northern Virginia, dating from September 2022 to September 2025.
- Manila Envelope: At a dinner in September 2022, Tellis was allegedly seen entering the restaurant with a manila envelope that he did not appear to have when he left.
- Gift Bags: On other occasions, Chinese officials were allegedly observed giving Tellis a gift bag (e.g., a red gift bag at a September 2025 meeting).
- Discussion Topics: Conversations overheard during a dinner in 2023 allegedly included topics such as Iranian-Chinese relations and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.
Legal Status
Tellis was formally charged by a criminal complaint and was ordered detained initially, though later reports indicate he was released on bond pending a detention hearing. The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia stated that the charges represent a “grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens.” As with all criminal complaints, he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
