Luxury, Lies, and Espionage: New York Official Accused of Spying for China

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Linda Sun, a high-ranking New York state government aide, has been accused of secretly assisting the Chinese government in accessing sensitive information, including an official call about Covid-19, while leading a lavish lifestyle as an undercover agent for Beijing. A recent U.S. indictment reveals that Ms. Sun, who served as deputy chief of staff to the governor, allegedly exploited her position to aid Chinese officials in various covert activities.

 

 

Over the course of 14 years, Ms. Sun, 41, allegedly helped the Chinese government by blocking Taiwanese diplomats from contacting state officials and secretly sharing internal documents with Beijing. In return, prosecutors claim that China rewarded Ms. Sun and her husband, Christopher Hu, with millions of dollars in kickbacks. These funds allowed the couple to purchase a $4.1 million house in New York and enjoy luxurious perks such as home deliveries of Nanjing-style salted duck, prepared by a personal chef of a Chinese government official. They also acquired a $2.1 million ocean-view condominium in Honolulu, Hawaii, and luxury vehicles, including a 2024 Ferrari Roma sports car.

 

On Tuesday, Ms. Sun and Mr. Hu pleaded not guilty in a Brooklyn federal court to various charges, including failing to register as a foreign agent, visa fraud, and money laundering. U.S. law mandates that individuals acting on behalf of foreign countries register as foreign agents, something Ms. Sun never did. Prosecutors allege that she "actively concealed that she took actions at the order, request, or direction" of Chinese government officials.

 

During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Ms. Sun allegedly facilitated access for Chinese consular officials to meet with New York leaders. Prosecutors claim that in one instance, she covertly added a Chinese official to a private state government call discussing the public health response to the virus. Former New York prosecutor Howard Master commented that the charges against Ms. Sun reflect a "disturbing" trend of senior public officials accepting gifts from foreign governments, including those recently faced by former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez.

 

The indictment outlines several instances where Ms. Sun worked to obstruct Taiwanese representatives from communicating with high-ranking U.S. officials. In one notable 2016 message to a Chinese consular official, Ms. Sun allegedly boasted, "It's all been taken care of satisfactorily," after successfully diverting a prominent New York politician from an event hosted by Taiwan. She was also photographed in 2019 participating in a pro-Beijing protest against the visit of Taiwan's president to New York City.

 

Up until January 2021, Ms. Sun was accused of working behind the scenes to remove mentions of Beijing's detention of Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group in Xinjiang Province, from official statements. When Chinese officials requested a Lunar New Year video from the governor, Ms. Sun inquired about the desired "talking points." Chinese officials replied, “Mostly holiday wishes and hope for friendship and co-operation. Nothing too political.” Ms. Sun later informed a Chinese official that she had argued with Governor Kathy Hochul’s speechwriter to remove a reference to the “Uyghur situation” from the governor’s speech draft.

 

In 2023, while working in the New York labor department, Ms. Sun allegedly presented an unauthorized framed Lunar New Year proclamation from Governor Hochul to a Chinese official. Prosecutors claim she also wrote fraudulent invitation letters for Chinese politicians to travel to the U.S. and penned an unauthorized employment letter to include an associate on the governor's Asian American advisory council.

 

Prosecutors assert that Ms. Sun and Mr. Hu "received substantial economic and other benefits from [Beijing] representatives," including all-expenses-paid trips to China, tickets to exclusive events, and employment opportunities in China for Ms. Sun's cousin. The couple's home also received deliveries of salted ducks on at least 16 occasions, underscoring the extent of their alleged rewards from the Chinese government.

 

Federal agents detained Ms. Sun and Mr. Hu at their Long Island home on Tuesday morning on ten criminal counts. Their lawyer, Jarrod Schaeffer, stated, “We’re looking forward to addressing these charges in court. Our client is understandably upset that these charges have been brought.” Following their court appearance, the judge released the couple on bail, restricting their travel to three U.S. states and prohibiting Ms. Sun from contacting any Chinese consulate representatives in New York.

 

 

Credit: BBC 2024-09-05

 

 

 

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[jcmj]

Yeah. As if any foreign agent is really going to register in any country. Kinda defeats the purpose. 

[CanadaSam]

Key missing info:  Why bail and how much?

 

Wouldn't she just have to walk into any Chinese consulate, where she is untouchable?

[mogandave]

23 minutes ago, CanadaSam said:

Key missing info:  Why bail and how much?

 

Wouldn't she just have to walk into any Chinese consulate, where she is untouchable?

Is she not a US Citizen?

[mogandave]

2 hours ago, jcmj said:

Yeah. As if any foreign agent is really going to register in any country. Kinda defeats the purpose. 

Anyone lobbying for a foreign government or company has to register. 

 

Oh, unless your name is Biden. 

[mogandave]

38 minutes ago, mogandave said:

Is she not a US Citizen?

Apparently not.