Ex-aide to NY Gov. Hochul charged as Chinese agent

NEW YORK − A former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was charged on Tuesday with acting as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government.

Linda Sun, 41, Hochul's former deputy chief of staff, was arrested and pleaded not guilty at her arraignment in Brooklyn federal court. Sun's husband, seafood exporter Chris Hu, also pleaded not guilty.

Sun was an aide to both Hochul and her predecessor as governor, Andrew Cuomo , local media reported.

U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said in a statement Sun had used her state government service "to further the interests of the Chinese government" and the Chinese Communist Party. “The illicit scheme enriched the defendant’s family to the tune of millions of dollars."

The couple used the money to buy a 2024 Ferrari Roma sports car as well as property on New York's Long Island and in Honolulu together worth about $6 million, prosecutors said

While working in the state government, Sun allegedly blocked representatives of the Taiwanese government from meeting with officials and allegedly sought to arrange for a high-level New York state official to visit China.

In exchange, prosecutors said Chinese government representatives facilitated millions of dollars in transactions for Hu, who had business activities in China.

More: Most Chinese Americans and other Asian Americans are unhappy with China, poll shows

"Sun wielded her position of influence among executives to covertly promote PRC and CCP agendas, directly threatening our country’s national security," FBI Assistant Director Christine Curtis, the acting head of the bureau's New York office, said in a statement.

Other gifts included Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by a Chinese government official's personal chef and delivered to the home of Sun's parents, prosecutors said.

Lawyers for Sun and Hu did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Chinese embassy did not return a call for comment.

Sun became Hochul's deputy chief of staff in September 2021 after working in various state agencies.

Hochul's office fired Sun in March 2023 after discovering evidence of misconduct, a spokesperson for the governor said.

The office "immediately reported her actions to law enforcement and have assisted law enforcement throughout this process," the spokesperson said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ex-aide to NY Gov. Hochul charged as Chinese agent