Several Chinese agents have been brought up on charges by the Department of Justice for allegedly spying for the communist country within the United States. According to ABC 7, on Monday, the FBI revealed evidence that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has been engaging in espionage and security activity in the United States to spy on Chinese dissidents. Such activity includes that of Chinese agents who used Zoom and social media to spy on and harass Chinese dissidents, and two others who allegedly set up a “police station” in New York City.
In New York City, two Chinese agents accused of operating a police station were arrested Monday morning. They were accused of carrying out the commands at the direction of a Chinese police official who had them target specific Chinese dissidents. The station was operating out of a floor in an office building in Chinatown until officials became aware of the FBI investigation and shut their operation down in the fall of 2022.
In the Zoom case, ten Chinese officials along with one employee of the telecommunications company have been charged with conspiracy. Additionally, 34 members of another Chinese unit have been accused of creating fake social media accounts, including on Twitter, to “harass Chinese dissidents in the U.S. and to promote propaganda from China.”
“If convicted of conspiring to act as agents of the PRC, the defendants face a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The obstruction of justice charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison,” reports ABC 7.
Speaking of the police stations, FBI Director Christopher Wray shared that he is very concerned about the situation, noting that he finds it “outrageous” that the Chinese police would “set up shop” in New York City. Wray explained that “it violates sovereignty and circumvents standard judicial and law enforcement cooperation processes.”