A Chino Hills, California, resident has been arrested on suspicion of working as an illegal agent for the People’s Republic of China (PRC) while also acting as a campaign manager for a local politician running for office in 2022.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said 64-year-old Yaoning “Mike” Sun was arrested on Thursday for acting as an illegal agent for China, as well as another man, Chen Jun, who was sentenced to prison in 2016. It was announced that he had been charged with conspiracy. In November, he was indicted on charges of bribery and acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government.
A criminal complaint filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California says Mr. Sun was a campaign manager for Southern California politicians, but was not named in the complaint and said he was not named in the complaint. It was only identified as 1. Individual 1 was eventually elected to the city council in 2022 in a city not named in the complaint.
Mr. Sun and Mr. Chen communicated during the campaign to support Mr. Sun’s election.
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Chen Jun, who allegedly conspired with Yaoning “Mike” Sun, was sentenced to prison in November on charges of bribery and acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government. (Ministry of Justice)
According to the Justice Department, Chen allegedly discussed with Chinese government officials how China could “influence” local U.S. politicians, particularly regarding the Taiwan issue.
Immediately after Individual 1 was elected to public office in November 2022, Mr. Chen allegedly instructed Mr. Sun to prepare a report on the election. The report was sent to Chinese government officials, who responded positively and expressed their gratitude, according to the complaint.
Almost a month after Mr. Chen was elected, he arranged a lunch with Mr. Sun and others at a Roland Heights restaurant. According to the Justice Department, Chen described the gathering to Chinese officials as a “core member luncheon.” According to reports, Person 1 was not present at the luncheon, but Mr. Chen told Chinese government officials that the person was part of “our dedicated basic team.”
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Chen told Chinese officials that the luncheon was “successful,” adding that attendees agreed to form a “U.S.-China Friendship Promotion Association.”
In early 2023, Mr. Chen allegedly instructed Mr. Son to prepare a separate report for Chinese authorities about how the two had “nurtured and supported” Individual 1’s success.
According to the complaint, as the second report was being finalized in February 2023, Son approached Chen with a proposal to fight “anti-China forces” by marching in the U.S. Independence Day parade in Washington, D.C. He said he sent it.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks after participating in a group photo during the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, November 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Perez)
Son is said to have asked China to provide an $80,000 budget while the two continued to operate in the United States.
According to the complaint, Chen and Son discussed plans to visit China to meet with “leaders.” Sun also claims that Chen instructed him to set up a meeting with the Chinese consul general in Los Angeles. Sun and Individual 1 eventually traveled to China in August 2023, according to the complaint.
If Son is convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government.
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He also faces up to five years in prison for conspiring to commit crimes against the United States.
