Jonathan Toebbe sold the design of nuclear-powered warships to a foreign official, who was an undercover FBI agent

A U.S. nuclear engineer and his spouse have been arrested on espionage charges after allegedly attempting to sell confidential information.

Jonathan Toebby and his wife, were arrested and charged with violating the Atomic Energy Act after attempting to sell the design of nuclear-powered warships.

The couple were allegedly selling the information to a person they who was a representative of a foreign power.

Toebbe had listed a return address in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, containing a sample of restricted data and instructions for establishing a covert relationship to obtain additional information.

It’s believed Toebbe began corresponding via encrypted email with an individual whom he believed to be a representative of the foreign government, who was instead an undercover FBI agent, and continued a correspondence for several months before reaching an exchange agreement for thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency.

The couple were charged with conspiracy to share restricted data, and communicate that restricted data.

They are scheduled to make an appearance at a Federal Court in West Virginia this week.