2024-09-05 05:30:26
A house in New York for more than 4 million dollars, a mansion in Hawaii, a latest model Ferrari and special deliveries of delicate salted ducks – these are just some of the benefits that a former aide to the governor of New York received in exchange for spying in benefit of China.
Linda Sun, 41, and her husband, Christopher Hu, 40, were arrested at their Long Island residence and both face a number of felony federal charges. Sun, who has spent the past 14 years rising through the ranks as a public servant, served as deputy chief of staff to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and current Gov. Katie Hokul. In 2021, she left Hokul’s office and became part of the Ministry of Labour, but was fired in 2023 due to “evidence of misconduct”.
The Chinese woman is accused of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling and money laundering. Her husband has been charged with money laundering, bank fraud, and identity theft. Both pleaded not guilty in federal court in Brooklyn, with Sun’s bail set at $1.5 million and Hu’s bail at $500,000.
Sun is alleged to have provided access to secret conversations related to COVID-19 to Chinese government officials, and has also prevented Taiwanese from communicating and meeting with senior US officials on a number of occasions. She also created fake invitations for Chinese politicians to travel to the States and wrote an illegal letter about the appointment of her countryman to the New York governor’s office. Until 2021, Sun also removed information about Beijing’s detention of Uyghurs, a Muslim ethnic minority that has been subject to forced assimilation in China. According to prosecutors, Sun was an agent of the Chinese Communist Party, acting at their request and protecting their interests in the United States.
The gifts that Sun receives in exchange for espionage are quite generous – in addition to the house in New York, she also gets a property in Hawaii with an ocean view for 2.1 million dollars, free trips to China, tickets to various events , even securing a good job for her cousin. At least 16 Nanjing-style salted ducks, specially prepared by the personal chef of a senior Chinese official, were delivered to her parents’ house. Millions of dollars go to her husband’s businesses in China.
Gov. Katie Hochul said after her former staffer’s arrest that she was “shocked by the brazen behavior” and called her actions “treasonous.”