Sentencing of former Fed official highlights risks of foreign intelligence targeting U.S. economic data and Fed security protocols.
A former senior Federal Reserve adviser was sentenced to 38 months in prison for lying about sharing restricted information with Chinese contacts. John Rogers, who worked in the Fed’s international finance division, was convicted of making false statements but acquitted of espionage charges.
The case underscores longstanding concerns in Washington about foreign intelligence efforts to access sensitive Fed materials, including economic forecasts and rate-setting briefings. While no immediate policy changes were announced, the episode may prompt reviews of information security practices for staff with international ties.
Prosecutors alleged Rogers shared non-public Fed documents with a Chinese contact posing as an academic, though he denied knowingly aiding espionage. The judge cited his senior role and pattern of information sharing in the sentencing.