On Tuesday, a former deputy chief of staff to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Linda Sun, was charged with acting as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government. Sun, along with her husband Chris Hu, was arrested at their $3.5 million home on Long Island. The couple was charged with various crimes, including conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), visa fraud, and money laundering conspiracy.

Prosecutors allege that Sun blocked representatives of the Taiwanese government from accessing high-level officials in New York state and altered state governmental messaging on issues related to the Chinese government. Additionally, she is accused of attempting to facilitate a trip to China for a high-level New York politician. Her husband, Chris Hu, is facing charges of money laundering conspiracy, bank fraud, and misuse of means of identification.

In a statement, the office of Governor Hochul disclosed that Sun was fired in March 2023 after evidence of her misconduct came to light. Hochul's office had assisted law enforcement officials throughout their investigation.

According to an indictment by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York, Sun, at the request of Chinese officials, engaged in activities that furthered the interests of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). She allegedly coordinated unauthorized invitation letters from high-level New York State officers to facilitate travel for PRC officials to meet with New York State officials. Furthermore, Sun is said to have violated internal state governance rules to provide improper benefits to Chinese officials.

Sun's husband, Chris Hu, allegedly laundered millions of dollars obtained through these illicit activities. Federal authorities accuse Hu of opening bank accounts in the name of close relatives, using images of their driver's licenses to set up the accounts, and having exclusive access to these accounts to launder money. The couple is alleged to have used their illicit gains to purchase several properties and luxury vehicles, including a 2024 Ferrari.

Linda Sun's career in state government spans over 15 years; she worked under former Governor Andrew Cuomo in various roles, such as Director of Asian American Affairs and Deputy Chief Diversity Officer, before becoming Hochul's deputy chief of staff and later the Deputy Commissioner for Strategic Business Development at the New York State Department of Labor. Despite her extensive public service record, Sun allegedly used her high-level influence to secretly advance the CPCC and PRC's agendas within the U.S.

FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office, Christie M. Curtis, remarked that Sun's actions posed a direct threat to U.S. national security. Curtis explained that Sun covertly propelled the PRC and CCP's agendas while appearing to serve the people of New York. Thomas Fattorusso, special agent in charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation in New York, added that Sun combined Chinese money and her New York influence to benefit China, laundering millions of dollars in the process and purchasing luxury items for personal gain.

The U.S. Attorney's Office highlighted that Sun's actions enriched her family to the tune of millions of dollars. The couple's lucrative benefits from these activities reportedly included business opportunities in China, travel perks, luxury gifts, and job opportunities for Sun's relatives. Among the benefits were multi-million dollar real estate purchases, including a home in Manhasset valued at $4.1 million and a Honolulu apartment worth $2.1 million.

Investigations also reveal that Sun's dealings with China were extensive, including multiple interactions with officials from the Chinese Consulate in New York dating back to January 2021. Documents presented in court detail Sun's engagements with these officials, labeled as Politician-1 and Politician-2 in the indictment.

Following the arrest, Governor Hochul's office confirmed in a statement that Sun was terminated in March 2023 after evidence of her misconduct was found, and shared that they had cooperated fully with law enforcement's ongoing investigations. This case marks another significant episode in the ongoing scrutiny of Chinese influence within American political circles, underlining the complex nature of international relations and internal security.