A Chinese national was arrested on Thursday for allegedly acting as an illegal agent. Beijing While serving as campaign manager for an unknown politician elected to city council in Southern California two years ago.
The arrest of 64-year-old Yauning “Mike” Sun comes as concerns grow that the Chinese government has developed a network of operatives to influence local elections in the United States to install politicians. Can be friends of Beijing and can help promote Chinese interests.
According to the complaint filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Sun is accused of conspiring with Chen Jun, who was sentenced to 20 months last month for acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government. had gone
Chen, 71, also a Chinese citizen, pleaded guilty in July to using Chinese money to bribe federal agents to undermine the anti-Beijing spiritual group Falun Gong. The charge against Sun shows that Chen also conspired to interfere in local elections.
It was not immediately clear if Sun had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
According to the affidavit, Sun instructed Sun to write a report in 2023 explaining to Chinese authorities how he helped a local politician get elected. Subsequent texts between the two men described the city council person as a “new political star” and included a request for $80,000 to fund more pro-Beijing activities in the United States, according to court documents.
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Chen asked Sun to list all the mainstream American politicians that the city councilperson was familiar with, telling Sun that this would be “very effective in elevating” the councilperson's status in China.
Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, told reporters that the case is another example of a very troubling trend: The People's Republic of China is trying to influence foreign and domestic policy in the United States. . “To do this, government officials in China are trying to support select individuals they perceive as friendly to Chinese foreign policy.”
The accusations against Sun after him a Former aide to two New York governors In September, authorities accused Linda Sun of acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government and using her positions to properly advance Beijing's agenda in exchange for millions of dollars in financial benefits.
In California, Estrada said Yauning Sun is theoretically invested in advancing the Chinese government's interests in the United States, noting that he previously served in the Chinese military. The complaint does not specify financial benefits for Yauning Sun, who may not be related to Linda Sun because they share a common Chinese name.
The affidavit alleges that Yawning Sun, a resident of Chino Hills outside Los Angeles, also operated a media outlet called “US News Center” with the councilman and paid some of the politician's travel expenses. What did
Prosecutors say Sun worked closely with Chen, who appeared to be in regular contact with Chinese officials. Their discussion also included how to protest a proposed visit by a US congressman to Taiwan, an autonomous island that Beijing considers part of Chinese territory.
The men discussed how to set up a meeting for the politician to meet with a top Chinese diplomat in Los Angeles and make travel plans for the politician's visit to China.
and copy 2024 Canadian Press