A former aide to two New York governors was charged Tuesday with acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government who used her state positions to subtly advance Beijing鈥檚 agenda in exchange for financial benefits worth millions of dollars.
Linda Sun, who held numerous posts in New York state government, including deputy chief of staff for Gov. Kathy Hochul and deputy diversity officer for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was arrested Tuesday morning along with her husband, Chris Hu, at their $4 million home on Long Island.
Prosecutors said Sun, at the request of Chinese officials, blocked representatives of the Taiwanese government from having access to the governor's office and shaped New York governmental messaging to align with the priorities of the Chinese government, among other things.
In return, her husband got help for his business activities in China 鈥� a financial boost that prosecutors said allowed the couple to buy their multimillion-dollar property in Manhasset, New York, a condominium in Hawaii for $1.9 million, and luxury cars including a 2024 Ferrari, the indictment says.
Sun also received smaller gifts, the indictment said, including tickets to performances by a visiting Chinese orchestra and ballet groups and 鈥淣anjing-style salted ducks鈥� that were prepared by the personal chef of a Chinese government official and delivered to Sun鈥檚 parents鈥� home in New York.
If true, the allegations show that Chinese authorities were able to gain influence at the highest levels of state government in New York for nearly a decade.
鈥淎s 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,鈥� United States Attorney Breon Peace said. 鈥淭he illicit scheme enriched the defendant鈥檚 family to the tune of millions of dollars.鈥�
A lawyer for Sun, Seth DuCharme, did not immediately return an email seeking comment. Sun and Hu are expected to make an initial court appearance Tuesday afternoon, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney鈥檚 office in Brooklyn said.
The case is part of a broader Justice Department effort to root out secret agents for the Chinese government operating in the United States. In recent years, federal authorities have charged Chinese nationals not only with covertly advancing Beijing鈥檚 interests but also with harassing and intimidating dissidents on the government鈥檚 behalf.
Last year, the Justice Department charged a pair of men with establishing in New York City while acting under the direction and control of the Chinese government.
Sun, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in China, worked in state government for about 15 years, holding jobs in Cuomo鈥檚 administration and eventually becoming Hochul鈥檚 deputy chief of staff, according to her LinkedIn profile. In November 2022, Sun took a job at the New York Department of Labor, as deputy commissioner for strategic business development, but she left that job months later in March 2023, the profile said.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Hochul鈥檚 office said the administration fired Sun after 鈥渄iscovering evidence of misconduct.鈥�
鈥淭his 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,鈥� the statement reads.
The indictment said that, among other things, Sun worked to ensure that representatives of Taiwan's government couldn't get meetings with high-ranking New York state officials. The Chinese government considers Taiwan to be part of China.
It also outlined a series of exchanges Sun had with officials in the Chinese Consulate in New York in January 2021, when Cuomo was still governor and Hochul was lieutenant governor. Neither leader is named in the document, but are instead referred to as 鈥淧olitician-1鈥� and 鈥淧olitician-2.鈥�
After Chinese officials requested a Lunar New Year video from the governor, Sun said Hochul could probably do it and asked for 鈥渢alking points of things you want her to mention.鈥�
鈥淢ostly holiday wishes and hope for friendship and cooperation / Nothing too political,鈥� an official told her, according to the indictment.
Sun later told a different official that she had argued with Hochul鈥檚 speechwriter over the draft, because the speechwriter insisted on mentioning the in China. She promised that she wouldn鈥檛 let that happen, and the final speech did not mention the Muslim ethnic minority, according to the indictment.
The FBI in Manhasset in late July but declined to release details at the time.
Sun is charged with violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, money laundering and helping people commit visa fraud and enter the U.S. illegally. Hu is charged with money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and misuse of means of identification.
A spokesman for Cuomo did not immediately return an emailed request for comment.
Sun and Hu live in a gated community on Long Island called Stone Hill. The couple purchased the house in 2021 but placed it in a trust earlier this year, records show.
Anthony Izaguirre, The Associated Press
