North Carolina rep unveils new bill to ratchet up penalties on spies for adversaries like China, Russia and Iran

Freshman Rep. Pat Harrigan introduced new legislation to ratchet up penalties on spies who funnel US secrets to foreign adversaries like China, Iran, North Korea and Russia.

The Foreign Adversary Federal Offense (FAFO) Act sets a mandatory minimum prison time of 10 years as well as a fine of up to $5 million for perps caught engaging in economic espionage for adversaries — and raises the maximum sentence to 20 years if it impacts critical infrastructure.

“When individuals steal defense secrets or compromise our critical infrastructure on behalf of China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea, they are committing an act of betrayal against this country,” Harrigan (R-NC) said in a statement.

“This legislation ensures they face severe, unrelenting consequences. There will be no plea deals, no light sentences, and no path to parole. If you betray America, you will face the full weight of American justice.”

Currently, individuals caught selling trade secrets abroad can face up to 15 years behind bars as well as a fine.

The FAFO Act would also hike the penalty for defense-related espionage for adversaries to a minimum of 15 years without parole. At the moment, the penalty for those crimes is usually up to 10 years in prison as well as a fine.

Harrigan’s legislation stipulates that the penalties are specific to “covered nations” from whom the Defense Department is banned from acquiring sensitive material. Countries on that list are: China, Iran, North Korea and Russia.

Under the proposed legislation, companies or other organizations that are convicted of economic espionage would face a fine of $20 million or five times the cost of the stolen trade secret.

“My FAFO Act is a direct response to the growing threat posed by foreign adversaries targeting the United States from within,” Harrigan stressed.

His office cited recent instances of individuals getting caught spying.

Last month, for example, Nathan Laatsch, an IT specialist at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), was apprehended for allegedly trying to send sensitive defense data to a “friendly” foreign country. Precise details of the case are still somewhat murky.

Harrigan, a former Army Special Forces officer, was first elected to the lower chamber last year and has focused on key national security issues, having landed a spot on the House Committee on Armed Services.