These are the ‘gifts’ prosecutors say a former aide to New York’s governor received from the Chinese government
By Emma Tucker, CNN
(CNN) — US prosecutors say the Chinese government gave Linda Sun lavish, expensive gifts in return for violating internal rules and state government protocols while she served as an aide to two New York governors in a scheme that enriched her family by millions of dollars.
The former deputy chief of staff to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and former aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo acted as an undisclosed agent of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party, federal prosecutors say.
Sun was charged on Tuesday with violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registrations Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling and money laundering conspiracy, according to an unsealed copy of the indictment. Her husband and co-defendant, Chris Hu, was also charged with money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to commit bank fraud as well as misusing means of identification, prosecutors said.
The couple allegedly received “substantial economic and other benefits” from the Chinese government – including facilitating millions of dollars in business transactions – none of which were disclosed to New York state, according to the indictment. They were arrested at their Long Island residence Tuesday morning. Sun and Hu both pleaded not guilty to all charges in federal court Tuesday afternoon.
Here’s a rundown of the gifts prosecutors say the couple received from Chinese government officials and the leaders of US-based Chinese organizations:
• Sun and her family received at least four deliveries of “Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by a PRC official’s personal chef” between 2021 and 2022. They were also invited to dinner at a PRC official’s house in 2023.
• An unnamed US permanent resident with business interests in China and who worked with “numerous US-based Chinese organizations” paid for Sun’s accommodation and travel to the PRC in 2019, along with event tickets in Beijing celebrating the 70th anniversary of the PRC’s founding.
• The millions of dollars in travel benefits Sun and her family received also included a presidential suite previously used by First Lady Michelle Obama in Beijing, where Sun stayed in 2018.
• After Sun was asked in 2017 by the president of an unnamed New York-based association of people from Henan province to speak at an event taking place in Zhengzhou, Henan, the association made travel arrangements, including hotel accommodations, for Hu, Sun and her parents, Hu’s PRC-based business partner and several representatives of carrier business whose services Sun frequently used. The Chinese government also partially funded the trip, the indictment says.
• The New York-based association also “agreed to make efforts to personally intervene as to PRC customs issues” to help her husband, a seafood exporter based in Queens, export “live lobsters” to Henan Province.
• While Sun traveled with a work colleague on official New York state business to Jiangsu Province, she received “undisclosed and unapproved” benefits from provincial officials, including a 10-year employment contract for Sun’s cousin in the PRC.
• A bank account held by Sun and Hu received a wire transfer in the amount of $47,895 from a PRC-based bank account in 2016, labeled “Payment for Traveling.”
• Tickets to various concerts and events, including the Chinese National Traditional Orchestra concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City in December 2015.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Gloria Pazmino and Mark Morales contributed to this report.
