Linda Solar, a former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, schemed to advance the pursuits of China whereas working in New York State authorities, federal prosecutors alleged in an indictment unsealed Tuesday.
The indictment costs Solar with failure to register as a overseas agent, visa fraud, alien smuggling and cash laundering conspiracy.
Her husband, Christopher Hu, allegedly facilitated the switch of thousands and thousands of {dollars} in kickbacks for private acquire, prosecutors mentioned.
Solar and Hu every pleaded not responsible throughout their arraignment in Brooklyn federal courtroom Tuesday afternoon. Solar appeared in a black pantsuit with a pink shirt, whereas her husband appeared in slacks and a pale gown shirt.
Whereas working for the Cuomo and Hochul administrations, Solar allegedly acted as an unregistered agent of China whereas her husband allegedly laundered the proceeds, enabling them to purchase a $3.6 million home in Manhasset and a $1.9 million condominium in Hawaii, prosecutors mentioned.
Linda Solar in a photograph posted to Twitter.
LindaSun84/Twitter
Solar allegedly blocked Taiwan representatives from entry to the governor, labored to stop conferences with Taiwanese officers and sought to “form the general public statements” the governor made on China, prosecutors mentioned.
“That is no strange monetary fraud,” Assistant U.S. Lawyer Alexander Solomon mentioned through the arraignment.
Prosecutors mentioned Solar and Hu operated greater than 80 completely different accounts and many of the proof is in Chinese language, together with a WeChat message during which Solar is quoted telling a Chinese language official, “I’ve executed many issues to make the connection … flourish.”
Solar was launched on a $1.5 million bond, and her husband was launched on a $500,000 bond. Underneath the phrases of her launch, Solar is to not have any contact with the Chinese language consulate. Their subsequent courtroom look has been scheduled for Sept. 25.
Linda Solar is seen in {a photograph} included in her federal indictment.
Consulate of China in New York
Solar and her husband had been arrested at their Lengthy Island house Tuesday morning, in keeping with federal prosecutors from the Japanese District of New York and the FBI. The FBI had searched the Manhasset house in July.
Solar was employed by the Government Chamber greater than a decade in the past, earlier than being fired final yr, in keeping with Avi Small, Hochul’s press secretary.
“We terminated her employment in March 2023 after discovering proof of misconduct, instantly reported her actions to legislation enforcement and have assisted legislation enforcement all through this course of,” Small mentioned in a press release to ABC Information.
Solar labored in state authorities for about 15 years earlier than she was fired final yr from her job as deputy commissioner for strategic enterprise improvement on the New York State Division of Labor. She beforehand served as Hochul’s deputy chief of workers and within the administration of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks to the press after attending a gathering with President Joe Biden and different Democratic governors on the White Home in Washington, D.C., July 3, 2024.
Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters, FILE
The indictment alleges that, appearing on the request of Chinese language authorities officers and representatives of the Chinese language Communist Social gathering, Solar blocked Taiwanese authorities officers from gaining access to high-level New York State officers, modified New York State officers’ messaging about China and organized conferences for visiting delegations from the PRC authorities with New York State authorities officers.
In return for these and different actions, Solar allegedly acquired financial and different advantages from China, together with the facilitation of thousands and thousands of {dollars} in transactions for the China-based enterprise actions of Hu; journey advantages; tickets to occasions; promotion of an in depth household buddy’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, in keeping with the indictment.
“As alleged, whereas showing to serve the folks of New York as Deputy Chief of Employees throughout the New York State Government Chamber, the defendant and her husband really labored to additional the pursuits of the Chinese language authorities and the CCP,” United States Lawyer Breon Peace mentioned in a press release. “The illicit scheme enriched the defendant’s household to the tune of thousands and thousands of {dollars}.”
A “livid” Gov Hochul known as the allegations in opposition to Solar “brazen,” “surprising” and “a betrayal of belief” throughout an look on WNYC.
“The scope of what she was able to doing was surprising. I’m livid, outraged by this habits and we are going to let the method play out,” Hochul mentioned.
Hochul declined to disclose the character of her actions, saying, “It will likely be popping out in courtroom hearings.” She mentioned her administration reported the misconduct to the Justice Division.
“She primarily labored for Andrew Cuomo for a lot of extra years. She was with me simply a short while, about 15 months,” Hochul mentioned.