US authorities have charged a former aide to the New York governor with acting as an agent for the Chinese government.
The defendant is Linda Sun, an ex-aide to Governor Kathy Hochul and a US citizen born in China. She was dismissed last year for alleged misconduct.
The announcement alleges that Sun, while working for the New York State government, acted as “an undisclosed agent” of Beijing. It claims she engaged in “numerous political activities,” including blocking Taiwanese representatives from having contact with high-level New York State officials and changing those officials’ messages on issues of importance to the Chinese Communist Party.
The statement says that in return for those activities, Sun received substantial payments and other benefits, and she bought real estate in the state and Hawaii, as well as various luxury cars.
Sun was arrested on Tuesday, along with her husband Chris Hu, on charges of money laundering and other counts. They reportedly pleaded not guilty at a court in Brooklyn.
Governor Hochul told ABC News, “I’m furious and I’m outraged and absolutely shocked at how brazen her behavior was. It was a betrayal of trust.”