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| Christopher Hu and Linda Sun. |
A former top aide to New York Governor Kathy Hochul was charged for being a secret agent for the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The governor's office said Linda Sun had been originally employed by the previous administration of Andrew Cuomo, who quit in August 2021 amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
"This individual was hired by the executive chamber more than a decade ago," the governor's spokesperson told the BBC.
"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 the govrernor's press secretary, Avi Small,
“As alleged, while appearing to serve the people of New York as Deputy Chief of Staff within the New York State Executive Chamber, the defendant and her husband actually worked to further the interests of the Chinese government and the CCP,” said US Attorney Breon Peace for Eastern District of New York.
According to court documents, among Sun's alleged activities in the interests of the PRC and the CCP, included: blocking representatives of the Taiwanese government from having access to high-level New York State officers; changing high-level New York State officers’ messaging regarding issues of importance to the PRC and the CCP and blocking similar messaging in regards to Taiwan; obtaining official New York State proclamations for PRC government representatives without proper authorization; attempted to facilitate a trip to the PRC by a high-level New York State politician and arranged meetings for visiting delegations from the PRC government with NYS government officials.
Additionally, Sun repeatedly violated internal rules and protocols within the New York State government to provide improper benefits to PRC and CCP representatives, including by providing unauthorized invitation letters from the office of high-level New York State officers that were used to facilitate travel by PRC government officials into the United States for meetings with New York State government officials. Sun’s unauthorized invitation letters for the PRC government delegation constituted false statements made in connection with immigration documents and induced the foreign citizens into unlawfully entering the United States.
Sun never registered as a foreign agent with the Attorney General, and in fact actively concealed that she took actions at the order, request or direction of PRC government and CCP representatives.
In return for these alleged actions, say the court documents, Sun also received substantial economic and other benefits from representatives of the PRC government and the CCP, including the facilitation of millions of dollars in transactions for the PRC-based business activities of Sun’s husband and co-defendant Chris Hu.
An indictment was unsealed Sept. 3 charging Linda Sun, 41, with violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, bringing in aliens, and money laundering conspiracy.
Although Sun had been fired last year, the allegations were just made public on Tuesday. Hochul is furious, outraged and “absolutely shocked at how brazen” Sun’s behavior is alleged to have been, the governor told WNYC radio.
“It was a betrayal of trust,” Hochul told WNYC.
“It was a betrayal of trust,” Hochul told WNYC.
"This individual was hired by the executive chamber more than a decade ago," the governor's spokesperson told the BBC.
"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 the govrernor's press secretary, Avi Small,
Sun’s husband and co-defendant, Chris Hu, 40, was also charged with money laundering conspiracy, as well as conspiracy to commit bank fraud and misuse of means of identification. Sun and Hu were arrested earlier this morning and were arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn.
“As alleged, while appearing to serve the people of New York as Deputy Chief of Staff within the New York State Executive Chamber, the defendant and her husband actually worked to further the interests of the Chinese government and the CCP,” said US Attorney Breon Peace for Eastern District of New York.
For allegedly acting on behalf of the CCP, the Peace said, “The illicit scheme enriched the defendant’s family to the tune of millions of dollars."
According to court documents, among Sun's alleged activities in the interests of the PRC and the CCP, included: blocking representatives of the Taiwanese government from having access to high-level New York State officers; changing high-level New York State officers’ messaging regarding issues of importance to the PRC and the CCP and blocking similar messaging in regards to Taiwan; obtaining official New York State proclamations for PRC government representatives without proper authorization; attempted to facilitate a trip to the PRC by a high-level New York State politician and arranged meetings for visiting delegations from the PRC government with NYS government officials.
Additionally, Sun repeatedly violated internal rules and protocols within the New York State government to provide improper benefits to PRC and CCP representatives, including by providing unauthorized invitation letters from the office of high-level New York State officers that were used to facilitate travel by PRC government officials into the United States for meetings with New York State government officials. Sun’s unauthorized invitation letters for the PRC government delegation constituted false statements made in connection with immigration documents and induced the foreign citizens into unlawfully entering the United States.
Sun never registered as a foreign agent with the Attorney General, and in fact actively concealed that she took actions at the order, request or direction of PRC government and CCP representatives.
In return for these alleged actions, say the court documents, Sun also received substantial economic and other benefits from representatives of the PRC government and the CCP, including the facilitation of millions of dollars in transactions for the PRC-based business activities of Sun’s husband and co-defendant Chris Hu.
For allegedly acting on behalf the PRC, Sun and Hu received travel benefits; tickets to events; promotion of a close family friend’s business; employment for Sun’s cousin in the PRC; and Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by a PRC government official’s personal chef that were delivered to the residence of Sun’s parents.
Sun and Hu laundered the monetary proceeds of this scheme to purchase, among other items, real estate property in Manhasset, New York, currently valued at $4.1 million, a condominium in Honolulu, currently valued at $2.1 million, and various luxury automobiles, including a 2024 Ferrari. Sun never disclosed any benefits she received from representatives of the PRC government and the CCP to the New York State government, as she was required to do as a New York State government employee.
As alleged, Hu also laundered unlawful proceeds through bank accounts opened in the name of a close relative but that were actually for Hu’s exclusive use. To open these accounts, Hu unlawfully used an image of the relative’s driver’s license.
Sun and Hu pleaded not guilty on Tuesday in a Brooklyn federal court to all the charges.
“We’re looking forward to addressing these charges in court. Our client is understandably upset that these charges have been brought,” Sun's attorney lawyer, Jarrod Schaeffer, told the Associated Press.
A judge released the pair on bail, limiting their travel to three US states and ordering Ms Sun to avoid any contact with representatives from the Chinese consulate or mission in New York.
“These indictments demonstrate, yet again, the brazen attempts of the PRC to corrupt our political processes,” said Assistant Director Kevin Vorndran of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division.
As alleged, Hu also laundered unlawful proceeds through bank accounts opened in the name of a close relative but that were actually for Hu’s exclusive use. To open these accounts, Hu unlawfully used an image of the relative’s driver’s license.
Sun and Hu pleaded not guilty on Tuesday in a Brooklyn federal court to all the charges.
“We’re looking forward to addressing these charges in court. Our client is understandably upset that these charges have been brought,” Sun's attorney lawyer, Jarrod Schaeffer, told the Associated Press.
A judge released the pair on bail, limiting their travel to three US states and ordering Ms Sun to avoid any contact with representatives from the Chinese consulate or mission in New York.
“These indictments demonstrate, yet again, the brazen attempts of the PRC to corrupt our political processes,” said Assistant Director Kevin Vorndran of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division.
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