CCP-Directed Spying Exposed: US Secures Convictions and Guilty Pleas
For years, Beijing has been increasing its influence in America by extracting intelligence from the U.S. government and suppressing dissent through the use of agents embedded in American society.
Experts note that in recent times, the United States has been taking steps to counteract these efforts.
In early September, Linda Sun, a former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, was arrested by prosecutors for allegedly working on behalf of Beijing in exchange for significant gifts and payouts to her family.
In recent months, there has been a noticeable rise in convictions and guilty pleas related to espionage and foreign agent cases directed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The Department of Justice has brought forward numerous cases resulting in at least 13 convictions or pleas, with more than half occurring this year, including three in the past month, as per court records reviewed by The Epoch Times.
In August, a Chinese American scholar who posed as a pro-democracy activist was convicted for spying on dissidents for the CCP by a jury.
In August, a U.S. army intelligence analyst from Texas pleaded guilty to selling military secrets to the CCP.
In August, a software engineer who worked at Verizon for two decades pleaded guilty to gathering intelligence on dissidents targeted by the CCP since 2012.
Case documents reveal a range of criminal actions taken by these agents, such as engaging in industrial espionage, covert influence campaigns, directing hacker rings, and waging cyberattacks on the United States.
Rep. Don Bacon, Chair of the Cybersecurity Subcommittee for the House Armed Services Committee, emphasized the need for the nation to address these threats, with the U.S. intelligence community identifying Beijing as the top threat to the country.
Bacon, who has experienced Chinese espionage attempts firsthand, detailed an incident where he was hacked by CCP-linked hackers along with other government officials and groups.
Who Are the Spies?
The CCP has historically targeted people of Chinese descent, including citizens living outside China, as potential assets for intelligence operations.
The DOJ has charged various officials of the CCP’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), Chinese citizens traveling under false pretenses, hackers in Asian countries, as well as U.S. citizens and residents of Chinese descent, in foreign agent cases.
Some of these individuals are based in the U.S., while others charged reside in China and would face arrest if they entered the U.S.
U.S. citizens not of Chinese descent, including military members, former law enforcement personnel, and experts in various fields, have also been implicated in espionage activities.
Linda Sun, former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and her husband, Chris Hu, exit the federal court in Brooklyn after Sun was charged with acting on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party, in New York City on Sept. 3, 2024. Kent J. Edwards/Reuters
Some of these agents specialize in gathering intelligence, engaging in espionage, and working on behalf of the CCP through various means, including the targeting of dissidents, spreading fear, and dividing communities.
It has been pointed out by experts that the U.S. needs to remain vigilant against these threats of espionage, infiltration, and influence to safeguard its democracy and national security.
