Two male individuals admit to serving as illicit Chinese agents in scheme targeting Falun Gong members
According to the Justice Department, Beijing has identified Falun Gong as ‘one of the top five threats to its rule.’
Two individuals, John Chen and Lin Feng from California, have admitted guilt in aiding illegal Chinese agents to facilitate Beijing’s crackdown on Falun Gong practitioners in the United States.
Under the Chinese official’s direction, Chen submitted a flawed whistleblower complaint to the IRS echoing the regime’s vilifying propaganda against Falun Gong.
The duo paid cash bribes totaling $5,000 to an undercover officer posing as an IRS agent, promising $50,000 to trigger an audit on the nonprofit group and a substantial whistleblower fee if successful.
In a recorded conversation, Chen explicitly stated that the bribe money, provided by Chinese authorities, aimed to dismantle Falun Gong, noting the generosity of the Chinese government.
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During a court hearing held on July 25, prosecutors revealed that the intended target of this illicit operation was Shen Yun Performing Arts, an upstate-based classical Chinese dance and music company known for its depictions of pre-communist China and the persecution faced by Falun Gong practitioners.
The Justice Department press release asserts that Beijing views Falun Gong as a significant threat to its rule, recognizing the spiritual practice as a top concern.
In China, adherents of Falun Gong encounter harsh repression by the government, including imprisonment and other punitive measures.
Both Chen and Lin have pleaded guilty to charges of working as unregistered foreign agents and bribing a public official.
The sentencing for these individuals is scheduled for the last two days of October, with a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison considered in light of various sentencing guidelines and statutory factors.
As per the plea agreements, Chen and Lin have agreed to forfeit $50,000 and may face additional fines as part of the sentencing process.
Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, characterized this case as part of foreign efforts to suppress free speech and target critics of the People’s Republic of China on American soil.
Linh acknowledged that his guilty plea could result in immigration consequences, potentially leading to his removal from the United States and barring future entry or naturalization.
He described Chen as his superior and confirmed their coordinated efforts to implement the bribery scheme to intimidate Falun Gong activists.
These charges allege that the defendant, Li Ping, has collaborated with Chinese intelligence officers to target individuals associated with Falun Gong, including sharing personal information for surveillance purposes.
Cara Ding and NTD’s Flora Hua contributed to this report.
