Former Top Aide of Dem Governor Charged with Acting as a Chinese Agent

A former deputy chief of staff to New York's Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul faces charges for allegedly serving as an agent for the Chinese government and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Linda Sun has been indicted on multiple counts, including conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and involvement in a money laundering conspiracy, as stated in a news release from the Department of Justice.

Sun's husband, Chris Hu, is also facing charges for his role in the money laundering conspiracy, as well as for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and misuse of means of identification. Both were scheduled to appear in federal court on Tuesday.

“As alleged, 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,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace stated. “The illicit scheme enriched the defendant’s family to the tune of millions of dollars.”

FBI Acting Assistant Director Christie Curtis remarked, “As alleged in the indictment, Linda Sun, a former New York State government employee, acted as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government while her husband, Christopher Hu, facilitated the transfer of millions of dollars in kickbacks for personal gain. Sun wielded her position of influence among executives to covertly promote PRC and CCP agendas, directly threatening our country’s national security.”

The indictment accuses Sun of using her position within the Executive Chamber of New York state government to block access to state officials by representatives of Taiwan and to issue communications that advanced China’s interests.

Sun is also accused of issuing unauthorized invitation letters to Chinese officials, enabling them to enter the U.S. under false pretenses.

According to the news release, China provided Sun and Hu with millions of dollars, including gifts such as “Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by a PRC government official’s personal chef that were delivered to the residence of Sun’s parents.”

The couple allegedly used these funds to purchase a $4.1 million home in Manhasset, New York, a $2.1 million home in Honolulu, and several luxury vehicles. Sun is said to have failed to report these assets to state officials as required.

“This individual was hired by the Executive Chamber more than a decade ago. We terminated her employment in March 2023 after discovering evidence of misconduct, immediately reported her actions to law enforcement and have assisted law enforcement throughout this process,” Hochul’s office said in a statement, as reported by WABC-TV.

In July, the FBI raided the couple’s Long Island home. A report in the New York Post at that time indicated that Sun left state government under suspicious circumstances last year.

Citing an unnamed source, the report claimed that Sun was dismissed after unspecified “evidence of misconduct” surfaced, leading to a referral to law enforcement.

Sun had a 14-year career in state government, with responsibilities in business development, Asian-American affairs, and diversity initiatives.

According to Newsday, Sun began a 15-month tenure in the governor’s office after Kathy Hochul took over from former Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2021.

She reportedly left the executive chamber in November 2022 for a role in the state Department of Labor, as noted by The New York Times.

In early 2023, Sun departed state government to serve as the campaign manager for Democratic congressional candidate Austin Cheng, who ultimately was unsuccessful.

Hu, meanwhile, manages a liquor store and a medical supplies company, among other ventures.