Ashley Tellis, a prominent expert on US-India relations and a former National Security Council adviser under President George W. Bush, arrested over the weekend and charged with “unlawful retention of national defense information,” has been released from custody and will serve under house arrest while she faces charges.
Authorities say Tellis improperly stored more than 1,000 pages of classified documents at his home in Vienna, Virginia. The documents reportedly contained material classified as “Top Secret” and “Secret”, covering sensitive topics such as the capabilities of US military aircraft.
An FBI affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia noted several instances in September and October in which Tellis allegedly printed classified materials at Pentagon and State Department facilities. Surveillance footage allegedly shows him leaving the buildings with a briefcase believed to contain documents.
Tellis was held during an initial court appearance in Alexandria, Va., pending a detention hearing scheduled for next week. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Alleged contacts with Chinese officials
The affidavit also details meetings Tellis allegedly held with Chinese government officials at restaurants in Northern Virginia. One dinner in 2022 noted that Tellis arrived with a manila envelope that was no longer there when he left. Another meeting in 2023 reportedly included discussions on Iran-China relations and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. The Justice Department emphasizes that the charges relate to the handling of classified documents, not the meetings themselves.
Statement of Defense
Tellis’ attorneys, Deborah Curtis and John Nassikas of Arnold & Porter, defended their client, saying, “Ashley J. Tellis is a widely respected scientist and senior policy advisor. We will vigorously contest the allegations made against him, specifically any suggestion that he is acting on behalf of a foreign adversary.”
Tellis’ professional background
Tellis, 64, is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he serves as the Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs. He was placed on administrative leave after his arrest. In addition, he served as an unpaid consultant to the State Department and as a contractor to the Department of Defense’s Network Assessment Office.
During his career, Tellis played a key role in shaping US-India relations, including helping to negotiate the Bush administration’s landmark civil nuclear cooperation agreement with India.
Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, is handling the case. Tellis is expected to vigorously contest the charges at upcoming hearings, saying the allegations against him, including suggestions he acted on behalf of a foreign adversary, are baseless.
