A former top aide to New York Governor Kathy Hochul has been charged with using her state position to act as an agent for China’s Communist Party, allegedly earning millions in the process, according to a newly unsealed federal indictment.
A former top aide to New York Governors Andrew Cuomo and Kathy Hochul has been accused of using her government position to act as an agent for China’s Communist Party while pocketing millions, according to an unsealed federal indictment.
Federal prosecutors revealed charges on Tuesday against Linda Sun, 41, and her husband, Chris Hu, 40. Sun, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in China, allegedly leveraged her roles in both Cuomo and Hochul’s administrations to influence New York State’s actions in favor of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The indictment accuses the couple of running a money laundering and bank fraud scheme tied to Sun’s actions as a covert agent for the CCP.
The indictment details instances where Sun allegedly manipulated Cuomo and Hochul’s interactions with Taiwanese officials, ensuring the governors avoided any recognition of Taiwan and instead made pro-China statements. During the pandemic, Sun reportedly arranged for Cuomo to publicly thank China for donating medical supplies, while sidelining Taiwan’s contributions.
In one instance, Sun allegedly edited a 2019 statement by Cuomo to remove any mention of Taiwan as the "Republic of China" to avoid international controversy. She also reportedly prevented Hochul from acknowledging China's detention of Uyghurs in her 2021 Lunar New Year message, ensuring her remarks aligned with CCP interests.
In return for her services, Sun and her husband allegedly received millions from the CCP, allowing them to purchase luxury properties, including a $3.6 million home in New York and a $1.9 million condominium in Hawaii. Sun never disclosed her financial ties to the CCP, as required by her position in New York State government.
Both Sun and Hu were arrested and arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn on Tuesday.
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