Washington, D.C. | October 15, 2025
Ashley J. Tellis has been arrested and charged with illegally keeping classified material, raising alarms throughout Washington’s diplomatic and strategic community. Tellis, a 64-year-old Indian-American scholar well respected in public policy and a long-time consultant to US governments, has had, according to federal investigators, more than a thousand pages of top secret and secret US government documents in his possession, some found in trash bags and filing cabinets at his Virginia residence.
A Scholar at the Center of Washington Policy
Tellis, a native of India, is one of the most prominent voices in the area of US-India strategic relations. He is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, previously served on the National Security Council for President George W. Bush, and was instrumental in negotiating the historical US-India Civil Nuclear Deal, which transformed the relationship between two democratic states. Tellis is often consulted for policy advice by Republican and Democrat administrations due to his expertise in defense strategy and South Asian geopolitics. The community in Washington’s foreign policy arena has been shocked by the sudden news of his arrest.
Charges and FBI Findings
Tellis was seen several times between September and October of 2025 entering secure federal buildings — including the Pentagon’s Office of Net Assessment (ONA) and the State Department — where he was accused of accessing and printing classified materials, according to an FBI affidavit unsealed in the Virginia court.
Investigators stated that Tellis concealed Top Secret documents in notepads and leather briefcases, then took them home. Surveillance footage appeared to show him handling material labeled Top Secret, as well as Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), which are only accessed by individuals with higher levels of security clearance.
On October 10, federal agents saw the defendant once again enter secured space with the same briefcase. The next day, a search warrant was executed on the defendant’s residence in Vienna, Virginia, leading to over 1,000 classified pages being recovered. Some of the classified documents were recovered in locked drawers, as well as black trash bags in the basement.
Alleged Meetings with Chinese Officials
The FBI affidavit claims that Tellis met on several occasions with representatives of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) at a restaurant located in Fairfax, Virginia. On at least one occasion, he was seen bringing a manila envelope to the meeting which he did not take back with him. The Chinese officials reportedly gave him gift bags on two occasions.
While prosecutors have not charged Tellis with espionage, these meetings are being examined as part of a broader counterintelligence investigation into possible foreign influence or unauthorized disclosures.
Travel Plans and Arrest
Tellis was arrested on October 11, 2025; the same day, he was reportedly scheduled to fly to Rome. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a statement confirming Tellis’s arrest but declined to provide further information due to its ongoing inquiry.
Prosecutors also said that because of his advising roles with both the State Department and the Pentagon at the time, Tellis held a Top Secret clearance and was fully aware of the rules regarding the handling of classified material.
Possible Punishments
If found guilty, Tellis could receive a sentence of up to ten years in federal prison and/or a fine of $250,000 pursuant to the Espionage Act provisions pertaining to unlawful retention of defense information. “These allegations, if they continue to be true, pose a serious threat to the safety and security of our nation,” Lindsey Halligan, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia stated.
A Fall from Grace
Tellis’ arrest represents a remarkable downfall for a man once hailed in Washington as one of the nation’s most trusted strategic thinkers. He has influenced and shaped policy on India, China, and defense cooperation in the Indo-Pacific for decades, and had been consulted at the highest levels of government. For now, Tellis remains in federal custody as investigators examine whether the classified materials were mishandled from inadvertence, or with purpose.
More Stories
Newly Built Hongqi Bridge in China Collapses After Landslide: Dramatic Video Captures the Moment
Two MLB Pitchers Charged in Sports Gambling and Bribery Scheme
UAE to Build ‘India House’, Plans to Make Yoga a Competitive Sport