Inside the China espionage case involving former Fed adviser John Rogers

Former Federal Reserve adviser John Rogers was arrested in January 2025 and later convicted of making false statements after prosecutors said he shared sensitive information with people linked to China. The case centered on his work at the Fed, his relationship with a Chinese man he met in Shanghai, and the personal and professional entanglements that followed. According to the report, Rogers met the man identified by U.S. officials as a Chinese spy in 2013 and later became involved in a romantic relationship with a Chinese woman, which investigators say made him easier to influence. Over time, prosecutors argued, he provided information about the Fed while also receiving help with travel, money, and personal matters. Rogers was found guilty on one count of making false statements and sentenced to 38 months in federal prison in July 2026. He was acquitted on the more serious conspiracy charge, while the Federal Reserve’s inspector general also highlighted broader security weaknesses and insiderrisk concerns at the central bank.