US Secures Convictions and Guilty Pleas in CCP-Directed Spying Cases

For several years, Beijing has been extending its influence over America, gathering intelligence from the U.S. government and silencing critics through agents embedded within American society. However, the United States is now retaliating and seeing results, according to experts.

Recent Arrests and Convictions

In early September, Linda Sun, a former aide to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, was arrested. She was accused of acting on behalf of Beijing in exchange for gifts and payouts that were worth millions of dollars to her family. There has been a significant increase in the rate of convictions or pleas in recent months. The Justice Department has presented dozens of CCP-directed espionage and foreign agent cases in the past four years, resulting in at least 13 convictions or pleas, with more than half of these occurring this year. This includes three cases in the last month alone.

Examples of Recent Cases

In August, a Chinese American scholar who was posing as a pro-democracy activist was convicted by a jury for spying on dissidents for the CCP. In the same month, a U.S. army intelligence analyst from Texas pleaded guilty to selling military secrets to the CCP. A software engineer who had worked at Verizon for two decades also pleaded guilty to gathering intelligence on numerous dissidents and organizations targeted by the CCP since 2012. Case documents reveal a wide range of criminal actions taken by agents, often different from what many may envision as spying. Beyond industrial espionage and covert influence campaigns, the regime has directed hacker rings, including a group that was charged and sanctioned this year for launching a 14-year campaign on the United States.

Who Are the Spies?

The CCP has long targeted people of Chinese descent, of whom there are more than 60 million people outside China, as potential assets in its intelligence operations. Among those charged by the DOJ in the foreign agent cases are officials of the CCP’s top intelligence gathering agency Ministry of State Security (MSS), Chinese citizens traveling to the United States under false pretenses, hackers residing in Asian countries, as well as asylees, permanent residents, and U.S. citizens of Chinese descent. Some of these individuals reside in the United States, while dozens of others charged are known to reside in China, and will now face arrest if they ever set foot on American soil.

Insider Threat

Some "insider threats" were planted in companies and the military decades ago. Some recruits are attracted by the money, others prestige. Companies are now beginning to recognize the long-term effort with these high-profile cases.

Bottom Line

The recent arrests and convictions in CCP-directed spying cases show the United States' determination to counteract Beijing's intelligence operations within its borders. The cases highlight a broad range of criminal actions taken by agents, often different from what many may envision as spying. The question remains, however, whether these actions will be enough to deter future espionage attempts. What are your thoughts on this issue? Consider sharing this article with your friends and signing up for the Daily Briefing, which is every day at 6pm.