Linda Sun, a former high-ranking aide to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, has been charged with secretly acting as an agent of the Chinese government. Sun, along with her husband, Chris Hu, was arrested on September 3, 2024, and now faces a series of federal charges, including money laundering and failure to register as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). The accusations against Sun paint a disturbing picture of corruption, betrayal, and a significant threat to U.S. national security.
Sun, 41, served as Hochul’s deputy chief of staff from September 2021 until March 2023, when her misconduct was discovered, and she was promptly fired. According to prosecutors, Sun used her position in state government to secretly work on behalf of the Chinese government. One of her key actions was blocking representatives from Taiwan—an adversary of China—from meeting with New York state officials. This deliberate obstruction of diplomatic efforts reportedly worked in favor of China’s political goals, undermining U.S. foreign policy and straining relationships between American officials and Taiwan.
Beyond her interference with Taiwanese representatives, Sun allegedly arranged for Chinese officials to have exclusive access to New York state government leaders, including attempts to facilitate a high-level state official’s visit to China. In return, Sun and her husband received millions of dollars in compensation from Chinese government representatives. These funds were used to support a lavish lifestyle, which included purchasing a 2024 Ferrari Roma sports car and real estate in both Long Island, New York, and Honolulu, Hawaii, worth approximately $6 million.
Perhaps the most unusual aspect of these illicit benefits was the receipt of extravagant meals. According to prosecutors, Sun and her family were treated to special deliveries of Nanjing-style salted duck, a delicacy prepared by a Chinese government official’s personal chef. At least 16 of these gourmet meals were sent to Sun’s parents’ home, symbolizing the deep ties Sun had established with Chinese officials. While these meals may seem trivial compared to the larger sums of money exchanged, they underscore the personal nature of Sun’s relationship with her benefactors.
Federal prosecutors have described Sun’s actions as a direct threat to U.S. national security. In a statement, Christie Curtis, the acting assistant director of the FBI, emphasized that Sun “wielded her position… to covertly promote” the Chinese government’s agenda within the U.S. government. By influencing American policies and blocking communication with Taiwan, Sun’s covert actions placed U.S. interests at risk.
In addition to her work on behalf of China, Sun and her husband are accused of engaging in other criminal activities. The couple faces charges of visa fraud and illegally bringing four immigrants into the United States. They are also charged with conspiracy to launder money, a crime tied to the complex financial transactions they used to conceal the origin of the funds they received from China. These illegal actions allowed Sun and Hu to not only enrich themselves but also to hide the true source of their wealth from U.S. authorities.
Sun and Hu have both pleaded not guilty to the charges. After their arrest at their $3.5 million Long Island home, the couple was released on bond—$1.5 million for Sun and $500,000 for Hu. Their next court appearance is scheduled for later in September, when they will face additional scrutiny for their alleged crimes.
Governor Hochul has expressed her dismay over the scandal, emphasizing that her office took swift action once Sun’s misconduct came to light. “I was outraged by the betrayal of trust,” Hochul said in a recent radio interview, noting that Sun had primarily worked under the previous administration of former Governor Andrew Cuomo. Hochul’s office fired Sun in March 2023, after discovering evidence of her illegal activities, and immediately reported her actions to the authorities.
While Hochul’s administration acted quickly to sever ties with Sun, the case raises broader concerns about the ability of foreign governments to infiltrate and manipulate American political systems. Linda Sun’s role as an unregistered foreign agent underscores the importance of vigilance in protecting national security from both internal and external threats.
Despite the severity of the charges, Sun’s lawyer, Jarrod Schaeffer, has maintained that his client is “understandably upset that these charges have been brought.” Schaeffer’s defense, however, will need to contend with the extensive evidence gathered by federal prosecutors, including financial records showing the large sums of money Sun and Hu received, as well as testimonies about Sun’s influence over state policy in favor of Chinese interests.
The U.S. Department of Justice has increasingly focused on cases like Sun’s, where individuals working on behalf of foreign governments fail to disclose their activities to U.S. authorities. This crackdown aims to prevent adversarial nations such as China and Russia from gaining undue influence within the United States. In fact, just last month, a Chinese academic, Wang Shujun, was convicted in a Brooklyn federal court for similar activities—collecting information about pro-democracy activists in the U.S. and sharing it with Beijing. Linda Sun’s case is part of a larger pattern of foreign governments attempting to undermine American interests through covert means.
Sun and Hu now face serious consequences if convicted. Sun alone faces eight criminal counts, including failure to register as a foreign agent and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Her husband faces three charges, including bank fraud conspiracy. If found guilty, they could spend years in federal prison and lose the wealth they amassed through their illegal activities.
ACZ Editor: Yes, agents of influence are actual spies, as important or more important than those who steal classified documents.
Did they actually let these guys out on bail? This is unbelievable stupidity, they will likely flee, if the case starts to go against them.