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New York, NY -- A former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) was arrested along with her loving husband Tuesday morning. The couple were accused of acting as agents of the Communist Chinese government [aka CCP], according to the United States Attorney's Office.
Linda Sun, 41, who previously held various positions in New York state government before becoming deputy chief of staff for Hochul, is accused of acting as an undisclosed agent of both the People's Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party. Thomas M. Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of IRS CI New York, stated on Tuesday that Sun allegedly used Chinese funds and her influence within New York state to benefit the Chinese government.
"While appearing to serve the people of New York as Deputy Chief of Staff within the New York State Executive Chamber, the defendant and her husband actually worked to further the interests of the Chinese government and the CCP," officials said.
Sun has been charged with violations and conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, along with visa fraud, alien smuggling, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Her husband, Chris Hu, 40, faces charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, bank fraud, and misuse of means of identification.
Prosecutors said that Sun, under the direction of Chinese officials, prevented representatives of the Taiwanese government from meeting with important officials in New York state. Sun also influenced New York governmental messages to match Chinese government priorities and tried to arrange a trip to China for a high-ranking politician in New York, according to the indictment. Hu is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, bank fraud, and misuse of identification.
In return, she and her husband got benefits like help with Hu’s business activities in China and free tickets to shows by visiting Chinese orchestra and ballet groups, according to the indictment. A chef working for a Chinese government official even made "Nanjing-style salted ducks" and delivered them to Sun’s parents’ home.
The couple then laundered the money they received, using it to buy their house in Manhasset, a $1.9 million condo in Hawaii, and luxury cars, including a 2024 Ferrari, the indictment states.
United States Attorney Breon Peace stated on Tuesday, "Instead of serving the people of New York as Deputy Chief of Staff within the New York State Executive Chamber, the defendant and her husband were actually working to benefit the Chinese government and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This illegal scheme funneled millions of dollars to the defendant’s family. Our office is committed to taking vigorous action against individuals who act as covert agents for foreign governments."
The FBI searched the couple's home in Manhasset in late July but declined to release details at the time.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Sun spent approximately 15 years working in state government, holding various positions in Cuomo's administration and eventually becoming Hochul's deputy chief of staff. In November 2022, she transitioned to a role at the New York Department of Labor as the deputy commissioner for strategic business development, but she departed from that position just a few months later, in March 2023.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Hochul's office explained that the administration terminated Sun's employment after "discovering evidence of misconduct."
“This individual was hired by the Executive Chamber over a decade ago. We dismissed her in March 2023 after uncovering evidence of misconduct, promptly reported her actions to law enforcement, and have cooperated fully with authorities throughout the investigation," the statement reads.
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