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Federal prosecution of Linda Sun and spouse Chris Hu is the latest case to emerge as the People’s Republic seeks political influence.
This story was produced in partnership with Documented.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn on Tuesday revealed it has charged a former high-level official in the office of Gov. Kathy Hochul with unlawfully acting as an unregistered agent for the Chinese government, money laundering, and other offenses.
Linda Sun, who worked for years for the administration of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo before serving as deputy chief of staff in Hochul’s executive chamber starting in September 2021, allegedly sought to influence both administrations toward positions that were favorable to the Chinese government and sought by its representatives.
This included “blocking” Taiwanese government officials from accessing the governor’s office, massaging statements by Cuomo and Hochul to be more favorable to China, and arranging meetings between Chinese government officials and Hochul while she served as lieutenant governor, according to a 64-page indictment unsealed Tuesday that doesn’t refer to either governor by name.
Sun’s husband, Chris Hu, who operates a seafood exporting firm and liquor store in Queens and other businesses in China, was also charged in the indictment for alleged money laundering conspiracy and bank fraud.
The indictment unsealed by U.S. Attorney Breon Peace of the Eastern District of New York says Hu’s China-based business was boosted by Chinese government representatives in return for Sun’s advocacy — reaping the couple millions of dollars that they put toward a $3.6 million mansion in Long Island, a $1.9 million condo in Hawaii, and vehicles that included a Ferrari, Range Rover and Mercedes.
The couple was also showered with other gifts from reps of the Chinese government, the indictment alleges, including tickets to events and “Nanjing-style salted ducks” prepared by a personal chef.
“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,” said Peace, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. “The illicit scheme enriched the defendant’s family to the tune of millions of dollars.”
Emails to two attorneys for Sun and two separate attorneys for Hu weren’t immediately answered.
The couple pleaded not guilty, were released on bond and had their travel restricted to New York, New Hampshire and Maine, according to a spokesperson for Peace.
The basis for the main charge against Sun involves the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which requires anyone doing political or publicity work on behalf of a foreign entity to register with the U.S. Attorney General. The indictment says Sun not only failed to register, but that she actively concealed her work on behalf of the Chinese government reps.
“It was a crime to knowingly and willfully fail to register when required under FARA,” the indictment reads.
Sun went to work for the state Department of Labor in September 2022 and was terminated for unspecified “misconduct” in March 2023, according to state officials.
“This individual was hired by the Executive Chamber more than a decade ago,” said Hochul spokesperson Avi Small. “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.”
The indictment says that Sun submitted to a voluntary interview with the state’s Office of the Inspector General just weeks before her termination, where she was asked about attending certain Asian community events and securing a proclamation from the governor’s office for “PRC Official-1” — a reference to the Chinese Consul General in New York, Huang Ping.
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