Ex-Kathy Hochul Aide Accused of Plotting for Chinese Interests

Linda Sun, a former aide to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, has been accused of promoting Chinese interests during her tenure in the New York State government, according to a federal indictment unveiled on Tuesday.

The charges against Sun include failure to register as a foreign agent, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Her husband, Christopher Hu, is also implicated in the case for allegedly helping funnel millions in kickbacks for personal enrichment, prosecutors stated.

During their arraignment at Brooklyn federal court, both Sun and Hu pleaded not guilty. Sun was dressed in a black pantsuit with a red blouse, while Hu wore slacks and a light-colored dress shirt.

Prosecutors claim that while working in the administrations of former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Governor Hochul, Sun acted as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government. They also allege that Hu managed the laundering of illicit proceeds, which enabled the couple to purchase a $3.6 million home in Manhasset and a $1.9 million condominium in Hawaii.

Sun is accused of obstructing Taiwanese officials from accessing the governor and trying to influence public statements she made concerning China.

“This is no ordinary financial fraud,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Solomon remarked during the arraignment.

According to the indictment, Sun and Hu operated over 80 accounts related to their alleged activities, with most of the evidence being in Chinese. A specific WeChat message reportedly quotes Sun stating to a Chinese official, “I have done many things to make the relationship … flourish.”

Sun has been released on a $1.5 million bond, while Hu has been granted a $500,000 bond. As part of her release conditions, Sun cannot have any contact with the Chinese consulate. Their next court date is set for September 25.

In a statement made to ABC News, Sun’s attorneys described the charges as “inflammatory.”

“We are disappointed by the filing of these charges, which seem driven by an overly aggressive prosecution,” the attorneys, Jarrod Schaeffer and Ken Abell, stated. “Our client is eager to exercise her right to a speedy trial and defend against these accusations in a court of law.”

Both Sun and Hu were arrested at their Long Island residence on Tuesday morning, according to the FBI and federal prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York. The FBI had previously searched their Manhasset home in July.

Sun had been employed by the Executive Chamber for over a decade before her termination last year, as confirmed by Hochul’s press secretary, Avi Small.

“We terminated her employment in March 2023 after discovering evidence of misconduct and have reported her actions to law enforcement,” Small added.

During Cuomo’s administration, a representative stated that Sun had minimal interaction with the former governor.

“National security is critical and must remain free from foreign influence,” Rich Azzopardi, a spokesperson for Cuomo, asserted. “While Ms. Sun was later promoted to Deputy Chief of Staff, she primarily worked across various agencies and had little direct contact with the governor.”

Sun spent nearly 15 years in state government before being dismissed from her position as deputy commissioner for strategic business development at the New York State Department of Labor. She had also served as Hochul’s deputy chief of staff and held roles under Cuomo.

The indictment alleges that at the behest of Chinese government officials, Sun facilitated restrictions on Taiwanese officials’ access to high-level New York State officers and altered the messaging of those officers regarding China. Additionally, she is accused of arranging meetings for delegations from the People’s Republic of China with New York State officials.

In return for her actions, the indictment claims that Sun received various economic benefits from China. These included multi-million dollar business transactions related to Hu’s China-based activities, travel perks, event tickets, support for a family friend’s business, a job for her cousin in the PRC, and even specialty food prepared by a government official’s personal chef, delivered to her parents’ home.

U.S. Attorney Breon Peace stated, “As alleged, while appearing to serve the people of New York, the defendant and her husband were actually working to advance the interests of the Chinese government, enriching their family in the process.”

Governor Hochul expressed her outrage at the allegations, characterizing them as “brazen” and “a betrayal of trust” during a public appearance.

“The scope of what she was capable of doing is shocking. I’m furious and outraged by this behavior, and we will allow the legal process to unfold,” Hochul stated. However, she refrained from disclosing specifics of Sun’s actions, noting that these will come to light during court hearings. Hochul’s administration had reported the misconduct to the Department of Justice.

“She primarily worked for Andrew Cuomo for many more years, while my time with her was only about 15 months,” Hochul concluded.