US ex-official charged with selling influence to China for cash, duck

A former official who worked as an aide to the governor of New York state was arrested and charged with working as an agent of China in return for millions of dollars, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

The woman, Linda Sun, allegedly sought to broker meetings between Chinese and New York officials, while working to thwart such meetings with Taiwanese officials.

In return, Sun allegedly received "substantial" economic incentives with which she funded a lavish lifestyle, tickets to a visiting Chinese orchestra and Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by a visiting Chinese official's chef.

"The illicit scheme enriched the defendant's family to the tune of millions of dollars," United States Attorney Breon Peace said in a statement.

Peace added that Sun's husband Christopher Hu "facilitated the transfer of millions of dollars in kickbacks for personal gain.

"Sun wielded her position of influence among executives to covertly promote (Chinese) and (Chinese Communist Party) agendas, directly threatening our country's national security," the statement read.

Both pleaded not guilty to the charges and were released on bail with a proviso that they must not contact any Chinese diplomatic mission.

Prosecutors allege that the pair laundered the proceeds of their crimes and purchased a $4.1 million property on New York's Long Island and a $2.1 million Hawaii condo along with a 2024 Ferrari.

China's foreign ministry on Wednesday said that it was not aware of the situation concerning Sun.

"I will not comment on domestic cases in the United States," spokeswoman Mao Ning told a regular press briefing.

"But we oppose any malicious association or slander against China," she added.