Former top aide to New York Gov. Hochul charged with acting as foreign agent for China

A former top aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was arrested Tuesday on federal criminal charges accusing her of acting as an undisclosed agent of China and the Chinese Communist Party, and of laundering millions of dollars for China.

Linda Sun, who had been deputy chief of staff to Hochul for a year, is charged with violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy.

Sun's husband, Chris Hu, 40, also was arrested on charges of money laundering conspiracy, as well as conspiracy to commit bank fraud and misuse of means of identification.

The couple, who were arrested at their home in Long Island, are scheduled to appear Tuesday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, New York.

Prosecutors say the couple laundered the proceeds of their alleged schedule to buy a $4.1 million home in Manhasset, Long Island, a $2.1 million condominium in Honolulu, and luxury automobiles that include at 2024 Ferrari.

An indictment alleges that the 41-year-old Sun, while working in the governor's office and in multiple state agencies, also acted as an undisclosed agent for China.

"Acting at the request of [People's Republic of China] government officials and the [Communist Party of China] representatives, Sun engaged in numerous political activities in the interests of the PRC and the CCP, including blocking representatives of the Taiwanese government from having access to high-level New York State officers," the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn said in a news release.

Sun also changed "high-level New York State officers' messaging regarding issues of importance to the PRC and the CCP," obtained "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 " for meetings for visiting delegations from the PRC government with New York State government officials," the release said.

Prosecutors said that in return for those and other actions, Sun "received substantial economic and other benefits" from the Chinese government and Communist Party.

Those included "the facilitation of millions of dollars in transactions for the PRC-based business activities of Hu," the press release said.

Sun also received 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," the release said.

Hochul's press secretary Avi Small, in a statement to WNBC News 4 in New York City, said, "This individual was hired by the Executive Chamber more than a decade ago."

"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," Small said.

According to the indictment, Sun held a series of positions within New York State government from 2012 until 2023, including deputy chief of staff to Hochul for a year, beginning in September 2021.

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