Think tank employee put on leave after charged for removing classified docs from Defense Department

A Washington, D.C., think tank said Wednesday that it has put on administrative leave a foreign policy expert who was arrested over the weekend by the Justice Department for allegedly removing classified documents while working as a State Department adviser and Defense Department contractor, and meeting with Chinese officials.

The department announced the allegations Tuesday against the policy expert, Ashley Tellis.

According to his bio on the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's website, Tellis is a senior fellow at the think tank, "specializing in international security and U.S. foreign and defense policy with a special focus on Asia and the Indian subcontinent." The bio now notes that "Tellis is now on administrative leave."

The think tank "generates strategic ideas and independent analysis, supports diplomacy, and trains the next generation of scholar-practitioners to help countries and institutions take on the most difficult global problems and advance peace," according to its website.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Vice President for Communications Katelynn Vogt told Just the News on Wednesday: “We are aware of the allegations against Ashley J. Tellis. He is now on administrative leave, including from his role as Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs.”

According to the DOJ, Tellis was an unpaid senior adviser to the State Department and a contractor with the Office of Net Assessment at the DOD, and is considered a subject-matter expert on India and South Asian affairs, Fox News reported.

Tellis started working for the State Department in 2001, according to court documents. Per an affidavit, Tellis is accused of unlawful retention of national defense information.

Federal prosecutors said in court filings that Tellis held a top-secret clearance and had access to sensitive information.

Authorities searched his home in Vienna, Va., and found more than a thousand pages of documents marked "TOP SECRET" and "SECRET," according to court documents.

Tellis allegedly had a coworker at a government facility print multiple classified documents for him on Sept. 12, authorities said. On Sept. 25, he allegedly printed U.S. Air Force documents regarding military aircraft capabilities.

Federal prosecutors also allege that Tellis met with Chinese officials at a Virginia restaurant while holding a manila envelope in September 2022.

During an April 11, 2023, meeting, Tellis and Chinese officials were heard allegedly talking about Iranian-Chinese relations and emerging technologies while at a restaurant, according to authorities.

At a Sept. 2 dinner meeting with Chinese officials, Tellis allegedly received a gift bag, per court documents.

Tellis had his initial court appearance on Tuesday and has a detention hearing next week, the National Review reported. If convicted on the charge of the unlawful retention of national defense information, Tellis will face up to 10 years in prison.

Tellis didn't respond to a request for comment from Just the News.