Not Guilty Plea For Ex-Hochul Aide Who Acted As Agent For China: Feds

NEW YORK CITY, NY — A former aide to New York's governor Kathy Hochul was arrested and charged alongside her husband Tuesday morning after being accused of acting as an agent of the Chinese government, according to the United States Attorney's Office.

Both pleaded not guilty, officials said.

Linda Sun, 41, who held numerous posts in New York state government before rising to the rank of deputy chief of staff for Hochul, is accused of "using Chinese money and her influence within the state of New York to benefit the Chinese government" as an undisclosed agent of both the People's Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party, Thomas M. Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of IRS CI New York, said Tuesday.

She was charged with violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy.

Her husband, Chris Hu, 40, was also charged with money laundering conspiracy, as well as conspiracy to commit bank fraud and misuse of means of identification.

Sun and Hu were arrested at their $3.5 million home on Long Island. They both pleaded not guilty in their initial court appearance on Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Sun was to be released on a $1.5 million bond, while Hu was to be released on a 500,000 bond, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's office said.

The judge announced a travel restriction for Sun and Hu, limited to Long Island, New York City, Maine and New Hampshire, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Prosecutors said Sun, at the request of Chinese officials, blocked representatives of the Taiwanese government from having access to high-level officials in New York state, shaped New York governmental messaging to align with the priorities of the Chinese government and attempted to facilitate a trip to China for a high-level politician in New York, the indictment said. Hu is charged with money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and misuse of means of identification.

In return, she and her husband received benefits including help for Hu’s China-based business activities and undisclosed tickets to performances by visiting Chinese orchestra and ballet groups, the indictment says. A Chinese government official’s personal chef prepared “Nanjing-style salted ducks” that were delivered to Sun’s parents’ home, it adds.

The couple then laundered the financial proceeds, using them to buy their property in Manhasset, a condominium in Hawaii for $1.9 million, and luxury cars including a 2024 Ferrari, the indictment says.

"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," United States Attorney Breon Peace said Tuesday. "The illicit scheme enriched the defendant’s family to the tune of millions of dollars. Our Office will act decisively to prosecute those who serve as undisclosed agents of a foreign government."

The FBI searched the couple's home in Manhasset in late July but declined to release details at the time.

Sun worked in state government for about 15 years, holding posts in Cuomo's administration and eventually becoming Hochul's deputy chief of staff, according to her LinkedIn profile. In November 2022, Sun took a job at the New York Department of Labor, as deputy commissioner for strategic business development, but she left that job months later in March 2023, the profile said.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Hochul's office said the administration fired Sun after “discovering evidence of misconduct."

“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," the statement reads.

The next status conference before the judge is scheduled for Sept. 25.

Jerry Barmash and The Associated Press contributed to this report.