U.S.-India Relations Expert Ashley Tellis Arrested for Unlawful Retention of Classified Documents

Ashley Tellis, a prominent expert on U.S.-India relations and former National Security Council official under President George W. Bush, has been arrested and charged with the unlawful retention of national defense information. According to court documents, the 64-year-old was found to have over a thousand pages of top secret and secret materials at his Virginia residence. Tellis, who also serves as a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, was taken into custody over the weekend and formally charged on Monday.

An FBI affidavit revealed that Tellis had accessed and printed classified documents related to U.S. military aircraft capabilities from Defense and State Department facilities in recent months. Investigators also noted multiple meetings with Chinese government officials, including a September dinner in Virginia where Tellis was seen carrying a manila envelope that was missing when he left. Authorities say Tellis held a Top Secret security clearance, allowing him access to highly sensitive national security information.

If convicted, Tellis faces up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. “The charges as alleged in this case represent a grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Both the State Department and Pentagon declined to comment on the ongoing investigation, while Carnegie Endowment and Tellis’ legal representation have yet to issue statements.

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