A long-time U.S. State Department employee has been arrested and charged with lying to investigators about numerous contacts and gifts she got from Chinese intelligence agents. The Justice Department says Candace Marie Claiborne pleaded not guilty before a federal judge.

Claiborne has been a State Department Office Management Specialist since 1999. She had a Top Secret security clearance and was posted to embassies and consulates in Baghdad, Khartoum, Shanghai and Beijing.

Prosecutors allege Chinese officials showered Claiborne with tens of thousands of dollars in gifts when she was there, including cash, computers, meals, travel and an apartment. Prosecutors say in exchange for cash, a Chinese intelligence agent asked Claiborne to provide internal U.S. government analysis of a U.S.-Chinese economic conference.

Clairborne is charged with failing to tell the FBI about her contacts with the Chinese agents -- a requirement of her Top Secret security clearance -- and obstructing what the Justice Department calls an "official proceeding."

Justice officials say Claiborne "used her position and her access to sensitive diplomatic data for personal profit" and say U.S. employees will be held accountable if they fail to honor the trust placed in them. Claiborne faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

Acting State Department spokesman Mark Toner said, "When a public servant is suspected of potential misconduct or federal crimes that violate the public trust, we vigorously investigate such claims. The Department of State is firmly committed to investigating and working with the Department of Justice and our other law enforcement partners to investigate any allegations of criminal activity and bring those who commit crimes to justice."

在美國(guó)國(guó)務(wù)院長(zhǎng)期工作的一名雇員被捕，并因沒有如實(shí)向調(diào)查人員報(bào)告她從中國(guó)情報(bào)人員那里得到的一些聯(lián)系人信息和禮物而受到起訴。美國(guó)司法部說，坎戴斯·瑪麗·克萊本在聯(lián)邦法官面前做出無罪申辯。

克萊本自1999年起擔(dān)任國(guó)務(wù)院的辦公室管理專家，她通過了最高級(jí)別的保密審查，先后被派往在巴格達(dá)、喀土穆、北京和上海等地的美國(guó)使領(lǐng)館工作。

檢方稱，在克萊本駐中國(guó)時(shí)，中國(guó)官員送給她價(jià)值數(shù)萬美元的禮物，包括現(xiàn)金、電腦、餐飲、旅游和一個(gè)公寓。檢方說，做為交換，一名中國(guó)情報(bào)人員要求克萊本提供美國(guó)政府對(duì)美中戰(zhàn)略經(jīng)濟(jì)對(duì)話的內(nèi)部分析報(bào)告。

克萊本受到起訴的罪名包括沒有告知聯(lián)邦調(diào)查局她與中國(guó)情報(bào)人員的聯(lián)系，而這是她的最高級(jí)別保密審查所要求的，因此阻礙了司法部所稱的“正式程序”。

司法部官員說，克萊本“利用自己的職務(wù)以及能夠得到敏感外交數(shù)據(jù)的便利換取個(gè)人利益”，并說美國(guó)雇員如果違反了給與他們的信任，就將被追究責(zé)任。如果被定罪，克萊本將面臨最多25年的監(jiān)禁。

美國(guó)國(guó)務(wù)院代理發(fā)言人托納說：“當(dāng)公職人員做出涉嫌違反公眾信任的潛在不當(dāng)行為或觸犯聯(lián)邦法律時(shí)，我們大力調(diào)查此類案件，國(guó)務(wù)院堅(jiān)定地致力于與司法部和我們的其他執(zhí)法合作伙伴進(jìn)行調(diào)查和工作，調(diào)查任何關(guān)于犯罪活動(dòng)的指控，并將罪犯繩之以法。”

A long-time U.S. State Department employee has been arrested and charged with lying to investigators about numerous contacts and gifts she got from Chinese intelligence agents. The Justice Department says Candace Marie Claiborne pleaded not guilty before a federal judge.

Claiborne has been a State Department Office Management Specialist since 1999. She had a Top Secret security clearance and was posted to embassies and consulates in Baghdad, Khartoum, Shanghai and Beijing.

Prosecutors allege Chinese officials showered Claiborne with tens of thousands of dollars in gifts when she was there, including cash, computers, meals, travel and an apartment. Prosecutors say in exchange for cash, a Chinese intelligence agent asked Claiborne to provide internal U.S. government analysis of a U.S.-Chinese economic conference.

Clairborne is charged with failing to tell the FBI about her contacts with the Chinese agents -- a requirement of her Top Secret security clearance -- and obstructing what the Justice Department calls an "official proceeding."

Justice officials say Claiborne "used her position and her access to sensitive diplomatic data for personal profit" and say U.S. employees will be held accountable if they fail to honor the trust placed in them. Claiborne faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

Acting State Department spokesman Mark Toner said, "When a public servant is suspected of potential misconduct or federal crimes that violate the public trust, we vigorously investigate such claims. The Department of State is firmly committed to investigating and working with the Department of Justice and our other law enforcement partners to investigate any allegations of criminal activity and bring those who commit crimes to justice."

在美國(guó)國(guó)務(wù)院長(zhǎng)期工作的一名雇員被捕，并因沒有如實(shí)向調(diào)查人員報(bào)告她從中國(guó)情報(bào)人員那里得到的一些聯(lián)系人信息和禮物而受到起訴。美國(guó)司法部說，坎戴斯·瑪麗·克萊本在聯(lián)邦法官面前做出無罪申辯。

克萊本自1999年起擔(dān)任國(guó)務(wù)院的辦公室管理專家，她通過了最高級(jí)別的保密審查，先后被派往在巴格達(dá)、喀土穆、北京和上海等地的美國(guó)使領(lǐng)館工作。

檢方稱，在克萊本駐中國(guó)時(shí)，中國(guó)官員送給她價(jià)值數(shù)萬美元的禮物，包括現(xiàn)金、電腦、餐飲、旅游和一個(gè)公寓。檢方說，做為交換，一名中國(guó)情報(bào)人員要求克萊本提供美國(guó)政府對(duì)美中戰(zhàn)略經(jīng)濟(jì)對(duì)話的內(nèi)部分析報(bào)告。

克萊本受到起訴的罪名包括沒有告知聯(lián)邦調(diào)查局她與中國(guó)情報(bào)人員的聯(lián)系，而這是她的最高級(jí)別保密審查所要求的，因此阻礙了司法部所稱的“正式程序”。

司法部官員說，克萊本“利用自己的職務(wù)以及能夠得到敏感外交數(shù)據(jù)的便利換取個(gè)人利益”，并說美國(guó)雇員如果違反了給與他們的信任，就將被追究責(zé)任。如果被定罪，克萊本將面臨最多25年的監(jiān)禁。

美國(guó)國(guó)務(wù)院代理發(fā)言人托納說：“當(dāng)公職人員做出涉嫌違反公眾信任的潛在不當(dāng)行為或觸犯聯(lián)邦法律時(shí)，我們大力調(diào)查此類案件，國(guó)務(wù)院堅(jiān)定地致力于與司法部和我們的其他執(zhí)法合作伙伴進(jìn)行調(diào)查和工作，調(diào)查任何關(guān)于犯罪活動(dòng)的指控，并將罪犯繩之以法。”