Eastern District of New York | Former High-Ranking New York State Government Employee Charged with Acting as an Undisclosed Agent of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party

BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier immediately, in federal court docket in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Linda Solar with violating and conspiring to violate the Overseas Brokers Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and cash laundering conspiracy. Solar is alleged to have acted on behalf of the federal government of the Folks’s Republic of China (the “PRC”) and the Chinese language Communist Social gathering (the “CCP”). Solar’s husband and co-defendant Chris Hu was additionally charged with cash laundering conspiracy, in addition to conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and misuse of technique of identification.

Solar and Hu had been arrested this morning and are scheduled to be arraigned later immediately earlier than United States Justice of the Peace Choose Peggy Kuo.

Breon Peace, United States Legal professional for the Jap District of New York, Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Legal professional Basic of the Justice Division’s Nationwide Safety Division, Christie M. Curtis, Performing Assistant Director in Cost, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Area Workplace (FBI), and Thomas M. Fattorusso, Particular Agent in Cost, Inside Income Service-Prison Investigation (IRS-CI), introduced the prosecution.

“As alleged, whereas showing to serve the individuals of New York as Deputy Chief of Employees throughout the New York State Govt Chamber, the defendant and her husband really labored to additional the pursuits of the Chinese language authorities and the CCP,” said United States Legal professional Breon Peace.  “The illicit scheme enriched the defendant’s household to the tune of thousands and thousands of {dollars}.  Our Workplace will act decisively to prosecute those that function undisclosed brokers of a overseas authorities.”

Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the Division of Justice’s Nationwide Safety Division, the New York State Workplace of the Inspector Basic, the New York State Police and the U.S. Division of State’s Diplomatic Safety Service (DSS) for his or her work on the case.  He additionally thanked the New York State Govt Chamber for its cooperation with the investigation.

“As alleged within the indictment, Linda Solar, a former New York State authorities worker, acted as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese language authorities whereas her husband, Christopher Hu, facilitated the switch of thousands and thousands of {dollars} in kickbacks for private achieve. Solar wielded her place of affect amongst executives to covertly promote PRC and CCP agendas, straight threatening our nation’s nationwide safety. The FBI is dedicated to guard the American individuals from any risk actors who search to affect officers on the route of overseas entities,” said FBI Performing Assistant Director Curtis.

“Solar is alleged to be an undisclosed agent of the PRC and CCP, utilizing Chinese language cash and her affect throughout the state of New York to profit the Chinese language authorities. Solar and her husband then laundered thousands and thousands of {dollars} for the overseas nation and used the financial advantages of this scheme to purchase luxurious autos and million {dollars} properties right here in New York,” Thomas M. Fattorusso, Particular Agent in Cost of IRS CI New York.  “It’s with the unwavering willpower of federal legislation enforcement to root-out overseas brokers and their schemes that Solar and Hu will now face justice for his or her prison acts.”

As alleged within the indictment, whereas working for the New York State authorities – together with in high-ranking posts within the Govt Chamber of the New York State authorities and in a number of state businesses – Solar additionally acted as an undisclosed agent of the PRC and the CCP. Performing on the request of PRC authorities officers and the CCP representatives, Solar engaged in quite a few political actions within the pursuits of the PRC and the CCP, together with blocking representatives of the Taiwanese authorities from getting access to high-level New York State officers; altering high-level New York State officers’ messaging concerning problems with significance to the PRC and the CCP; acquiring official New York State proclamations for PRC authorities representatives with out correct authorization; making an attempt to facilitate a visit to the PRC by a high-level New York State politician; and arranging conferences for visiting delegations from the PRC authorities with New York State authorities officers. 

Solar additionally repeatedly violated inside guidelines and protocols throughout the New York State authorities to supply improper advantages to PRC and the CCP representatives, together with by offering unauthorized invitation letters from the workplace of high-level New York State officers that had been used to facilitate journey by PRC authorities officers into america for conferences with New York State authorities officers.  Solar’s unauthorized invitation letters for the PRC authorities delegation constituted false statements made in reference to immigration paperwork and induced the overseas residents into unlawfully coming into america.

Solar by no means registered as a overseas agent with the Legal professional Basic, and in reality actively hid that she took actions on the order, request, or route of PRC authorities and the CCP representatives. 

In return for these and different actions, Solar acquired substantial financial and different advantages from representatives of the PRC authorities and the CCP, together with the facilitation of thousands and thousands of {dollars} in transactions for the PRC-based enterprise actions of Hu; journey advantages; tickets to occasions; promotion of an in depth household pal’s enterprise; employment for Solar’s cousin within the PRC; and Nanjing-style salted geese ready by a PRC authorities official’s private chef that had been delivered to the residence of Solar’s mother and father.  Solar and Hu laundered the financial proceeds of this scheme to buy, amongst different objects, actual property property in Manhasset, New York at present valued at $4.1 million, a condominium in Honolulu, Hawaii at present valued at $2.1 million, and numerous luxurious vehicles, together with a 2024 Ferrari.  Solar by no means disclosed any advantages she acquired from representatives of the PRC authorities and the CCP to the New York State authorities, as she was required to do as a New York State authorities worker. 

Hu additionally laundered illegal proceeds via financial institution accounts opened within the identify of an in depth relative however that had been really for Hu’s unique use.  To open these accounts, Hu unlawfully used a picture of the relative’s driver’s license.

The fees within the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed harmless except and till confirmed responsible.

The federal government’s case is being dealt with by the Workplace’s Nationwide Safety & Cybercrime Part.  Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon and Robert Pollack are accountable for the prosecution, with the help of Trial Legal professional Scott Claffee from the Nationwide Safety Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Management Part and Litigation Analyst Mary Clare McMahon.  Assistant U.S. Legal professional Laura Mantell of the Workplace’s Asset Restoration Part is dealing with forfeiture issues.

The Defendants:

LINDA SUN
Age: 41
Manhasset, New York

CHRIS HU
Age: 40
Manhasset, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-346 (BMC)