A number of Chinese intelligence officials and a U.S. citizen deeply connected to the Chinese Communist Party have been charged with a slew of federal crimes by the Department of Justice, including espionage.
According to DOJ, U.S. citizen Wang Shujun and Chinese nationals Feng He, Jie Ji, Ming Li, Little Li and Keqing Lu "allegedly participated in an espionage and transnational repression scheme in the United States and abroad." Wang has been arrested while the Chinese intelligence officials remain at large.
Feng, Jie, Ming and Little allegedly acted as Wang's handlers and worked to shut down dissent against the communist regime in China.
"Wang acted as a covert intelligence asset in his own community, spying on and reporting sensitive information on prominent pro-democracy activists and organizations to his co-defendants, who are members of the Chinese government's Ministry of State Security," Eastern District of New York U.S. Attorney Breon Peace. "Today's indictment exposes and disrupts an operation by the PRC that threatens the safety and freedom of Chinese nationals residing in the United States on account of their pro-democracy beliefs and speech. Our office and our law enforcement partners will remain vigilant to thwart foreign espionage activities aimed at our citizens and residents."
DOJ prosecutors detailed Wang's activities and close coordination with China's Ministry of State Security and the People's Republic of China from Brooklyn, New York.
"Wang communicated and provided information to the MSS [China's Ministry of State Security], including to He, Ji, Li and Lu, by using encrypted messaging applications and emails, as well as during face-to-face meetings in the PRC [People's Republic of China]," DOJ says. "Wang would often memorialize the information he collected in email 'diaries' to be accessed by the MSS. These 'diaries' included details about Wang's private conversations with prominent dissidents, as well as the activities of pro-democracy activists and human rights organizations. A search of Wang's residence incident to his arrest revealed approximately 163' diary' entries Wang wrote to He, Ji, Li and Lu and other MSS officials."