Linda Sun, who worked for Hochul and then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was accused of being an undeclared agent for the Chinese regime while working for the politicians.
Linda Sun, former deputy chief of staff to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, was charged on Sept. 3 with acting on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), federal prosecutors said.
Sun, 41, and her husband, Chris Hu, 40, were arrested on the morning of Sept. 3 at their home on Long Island.
In July, the FBI searched the address but didn’t release details.
Sun was also charged with visa fraud, alien smuggling, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, while Hu was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, bank fraud, and misuse of means of identification.
According to an unsealed indictment, Sun, a Chinese-born naturalized U.S. citizen, received millions of dollars for her activities carried out at the behest of People’s Republic of China (PRC) and CCP officials, and she neither registered her role as a Chinese agent with the attorney general, nor declared the benefits she had received as a New York State (NYS) government employee is required to do.
“As alleged, while appearing to serve the people of New York as Deputy Chief of Staff within the New York State Executive Chamber, the defendant and her husband actually worked to further the interests of the Chinese government and the CCP,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said.
“The illicit scheme enriched the defendant’s family to the tune of millions of dollars. Our Office will act decisively to prosecute those who serve as undisclosed agents of a foreign government,” he added.
The couple pleaded not guilty during an initial court appearance on Tuesday afternoon in Brooklyn and will be released on bond. Sun has been barred from having any contact with the Chinese consulate and mission.
Her defense lawyer, Jarrod Schaeffer, said, “We’re looking forward to addressing these charges in court. Our client is understandably upset that these charges have been brought.”
Sun, also known as Wen Sun, Ling Da Sun, and Linda Hu, held various roles in the NYS government from about 2012 until 2023, during the tenures of Andrew Cuomo and Hochul, including as Cuomo’s deputy chief diversity officer from February 2018 to July 2020 and Hochul’s deputy chief of staff from about September 2021 until September 2022.
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