Linda Sun, the former deputy chief of staff to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, was charged Tuesday with acting as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government, the Justice Department announced, weeks after the FBI raided the official’s home.
The FBI raided the home of Hochul’s former deputy chief of staff earlier this year.
Prosecutors allege Sun, at the request of the Chinese government, prevented representatives of the Taiwanese government from meeting with New York officials and altered state government messaging on Chinese issues, including by allegedly preventing an unnamed politician from mentioning the Chinese government’s treatment of Uyghurs in a speech.
She also allegedly attempted to facilitate a trip to China for a high-ranking New York official, among other claims.
Sun, 40, is charged with violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling and money laundering conspiracy.
The FBI arrested Sun earlier on Tuesday along with her husband Chris Hu, 41, who was charged with money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and misuse of means of identification.
In exchange for helping the Chinese government, prosecutors claim Sun and Hu received millions of dollars and various gifts, including travel benefits and gourmet meals prepared by Chinese officials for Sun’s parents.
The indictment alleges Sun and Hu laundered the money they received to buy their $3.5 million home in Long Island, a $1.9 million condo in Honolulu and a Ferrari, among other things.
Avi Small, Hochul’s press secretary, said in a statement Sun was fired in March 2023 after they discovered “evidence of misconduct” and reported her to law enforcement.
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Sun and Hu will be arraigned later on Tuesday, prosecutors said.
The FBI raided Sun’s Long Island home in July, though details about the agency’s investigation were previously unknown. Sun worked as a New York government employee for about 15 years and also worked under former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, according to her LinkedIn profile. She left Hochul’s office to work for the New York Department of Labor in 2022 and later served as the campaign manager for Austin Cheng, a Democrat who unsuccessfully ran for a Long Island-based congressional seat.