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Federal prosecutors have accused a former senior official in the New York governor’s office of secretly working for China in exchange for perks including orchestra tickets, millions of dollars in cash and a dozen Nanking salt ducks.
Linda Sun, who worked for Gov. Kathy Hawkle and her predecessor, Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Arraigned on Tuesday He has more than 10 criminal convictions, including visa fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Sun, 40, is accused of blocking Taiwanese officials’ access to the New York governor’s office and altering the two governors’ public messaging to favor China.
She also sent a message to the Chinese consulate informing them of Taiwan’s request to the governor’s office, according to the Justice Department.
“All has been resolved satisfactorily,” she reportedly wrote in a message to a Chinese official in 2016.
“FYI, I’ve already blocked you,” she wrote when Taiwan’s Presidential Office invited Cuomo to a banquet in 2019, according to prosecutors.
According to court documents unsealed Tuesday, Sun worked in New York state government for more than 10 years, holding several senior positions under Governor Cuomo, including director of Asian American affairs and Queens regional representative.
She was promoted to deputy chief of staff under Mr. Hawkle in September 2021 and will serve as deputy director for strategic business development at the New York Department of Labor from September 2022 to 2023.
During that time, prosecutors said, Sang used fake invitations to set up meetings between Chinese officials and New York authorities, and also tried to organize a trip to China for Ho-cheol, according to court documents.
“Sun used his influence among senior officials to covertly advance the policies of the PRC and the Chinese Communist Party, directly threatening our national security,” FBI Deputy Director Curtis said, referring to China’s official name and the Chinese Communist Party.
Ducks, VIP Suite Access, Honolulu Condos
In return, Sun received numerous undeclared gifts, including tickets to the ballet and orchestra, access to VIP suites at sporting events, promotions for friends’ businesses and millions of dollars for her husband, Chris Fu’s, China-based company, according to court documents.
Investigators said Sun also received salted ducks prepared by a personal chef for Chinese consulate staff on four occasions between 2021 and 2022. Court documents said Sun received up to six ducks at a time.
Federal prosecutors added that Sun also received payment for providing work for a cousin in China and received benefits from local authorities during business trips to Jiangsu province with a colleague.
According to the Justice Department, Sun and Hu used the funds they received from Chinese authorities to buy at least two properties: one in Manhasset, New York, now worth $4.1 million, and a condominium in Honolulu now valued at $2.1 million.
Officials added that he also purchased luxury vehicles, including a 2024 Ferrari.
Hu also faces charges from the Department of Justice, accusing him of money laundering and using photos of relatives’ driver’s licenses to open bank accounts.
A spokesperson for Haukl told Business Insider that the New York governor’s office hired Sun more than 10 years ago.
“After discovering evidence of misconduct, we terminated her employment in March 2023, immediately reported her conduct to law enforcement, and have assisted law enforcement throughout this process,” they said.
When asked about Sun on Tuesday, Hawkle said: WNYC radio podcast “All Things Considered” The governor said he fired the aide “as soon as any degree of misconduct came to light.”
She did not say what actions Sun had been warned about by her office.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Washington, told BI he was not aware of the specific details of Sun’s case.
“However, in recent years, the U.S. government and media have frequently and widely promoted so-called ‘Chinese agent’ theories, many of which have later been proven to be untrue,” he said in a statement, adding that the embassy “opposes groundless slander and defamation targeting China.”
Sun’s lawyer, Jarrod Schafer, said: Associated Press “We look forward to arguing these charges in court. Our client is understandably outraged that these charges have been brought,” he said Tuesday.
Spokespeople for Governor Schaefer and Governor Cuomo did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent by BI outside of regular business hours.