Espionage Charges Reveal Depth of Alleged Chinese Influence
In a stunning development, Linda Sun, a former aide to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, has been indicted on charges of acting as a foreign agent for China. The 41-year-old was arrested along with her husband, Christopher Hu, on Tuesday, September 2, and was subsequently charged with espionage the following day, according to court documents.
A decade of influence
Sun held various positions within the New York State government from 2012 to 2023, including serving as deputy chief of staff to Governor Hochul for a year starting in September 2021. During her tenure, Sun allegedly obstructed representatives of the Taiwanese government from meeting with state officials. Instead, she aimed to arrange high-level visits by New York state officials to China.
“Acting at the request of PRC government officials and the [Communist Party of China] representative, Sun engaged in numerous political activities in the interests of the PRC and the CCP,” the indictment noted.
Luxurious lifestyle and financial crimes
Court documents reveal that Sun and her husband own a multi-million-dollar mansion in Long Island, New York. Sun allegedly laundered kickbacks to purchase this lavish property. Despite her state salary of $152,217 in her last full year working for the Department of Labor, the couple’s extravagant lifestyle raised red flags.
In addition to financial transactions facilitated by Chinese government representatives for Hu’s business activities in China, the couple also received other gifts. These included Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by a Chinese government official’s personal chef and delivered to Sun’s parents.
Charges and legal proceedings
Sun faces multiple charges, including violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy.
Hochul’s office responds
In response to the indictment, Governor Hochul’s office clarified that Sun’s employment was terminated earlier this year.
“We terminated her employment in March 2023 after discovering evidence of misconduct, immediately reported her actions to law enforcement, and have assisted law enforcement throughout this process,” said Hochul’s press secretary Avi Small.
Despite her termination, Sun continued to attend “public and professional Asian community events purporting to represent the Department of Labor while claiming to be the Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Labor,” the indictment noted.
Broader context of Chinese espionage
This case is not isolated. Just last month, a Queens resident named Yuanjun Tang was arrested for allegedly spying for China on pro-democracy activists and dissidents while making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
According to the Department of Justice, Yuanjun acted as a Chinese agent between 2019 and 2023 under the direction of China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), its principal intelligence agency.
The indictment of Linda Sun underscores the complex and far-reaching nature of foreign influence operations within the United States. As the legal process unfolds, the repercussions of this case will likely reverberate through political and diplomatic corridors.