Navy Reservist Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Bribe Official for Fake Military IDs

A Navy reservist has admitted guilt to bribery charges following an attempt to unlawfully acquire military identification cards for two individuals linked to China, as reported by the Department of Justice on Wednesday, July 2. Raymond Zumba, 27, has officially entered his plea, five months following his arrest at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. He was apprehended while attempting to pay $3,500 for the “real but unauthorized” Common Access Cards (CACs).

Court documents reveal that Zumba orchestrated the scheme in late 2024 by reaching out to a former shipmate from the USS Carney, where he had served during a deployment on the guided-missile destroyer from 2018 to 2020. The spouse of the shipmate was employed at the ID office located at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, which allowed them to create CAC cards.

In November 2024, Zumba had a conversation with his former shipmate at a bar in Jacksonville, where he shared that he had married a Chinese national and inquired if they would be open to housing other Chinese nationals for compensation. Upon his return from Hong Kong to the U.S., he proposed a payment of $1,500 per ID card to his contact in January 2025, clarifying that the CACs were intended for his wife's parents, both of whom are Chinese nationals.

Unbeknownst to Zumba, a shipmate had notified naval authorities, resulting in recorded conversations that were later provided to federal investigators. Zumba reportedly emphasized several times that “the money was there” to obtain the IDs. The investigation, spearheaded by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Homeland Security Investigations, concluded with his arrest while he was in the process of paying for the CAC cards.

The Justice Department stated that Zumba’s actions posed a risk to national security by attempting to grant unauthorized individuals access to sensitive military installations. He is set to face sentencing for federal bribery charges in the upcoming months.

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