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

Freshman Rep. Pat Harrigan has recently introduced a new piece of legislation aimed at imposing stricter penalties on individuals who engage in espionage activities for foreign adversaries such as China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. The Foreign Adversary Federal Offense (FAFO) Act proposes a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years, along with a fine of up to $5 million for those found guilty of economic espionage. Furthermore, the maximum sentence would be increased to 20 years if the espionage impacts critical infrastructure.

Harrigan emphasized that individuals who betray the United States by stealing defense secrets or compromising critical infrastructure on behalf of foreign countries must face severe consequences. The FAFO Act is designed to ensure that there are no plea deals, light sentences, or paths to parole for individuals involved in such activities. The goal is to hold those who betray America accountable and face the full weight of American justice.

Currently, individuals caught selling trade secrets abroad can face up to 15 years in prison and a fine. However, the FAFO Act seeks to increase the penalty for defense-related espionage for adversaries to a minimum of 15 years without parole. The legislation specifically targets “covered nations” from which the Defense Department is prohibited from acquiring sensitive material, including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.

Under the proposed legislation, companies or organizations convicted of economic espionage would face a fine of $20 million or five times the cost of the stolen trade secret. Harrigan’s office highlighted recent cases of individuals caught spying, such as Nathan Laatsch, an IT specialist at the Defense Intelligence Agency, who was apprehended for allegedly attempting to send sensitive defense data to a foreign country.

As a former Army Special Forces officer, Harrigan has prioritized national security issues and serves on the House Committee on Armed Services. The FAFO Act is a direct response to the growing threat posed by foreign adversaries targeting the United States, and aims to strengthen penalties for those involved in economic espionage for hostile nations.