Former New York governor's aide accused of operating as a Chinese government agent

A former top adviser to New York Governor Kathy Hochul was detained Tuesday on federal allegations of working as a Chinese government covert agent, according to authorities.

An unsealed copy of the indictment charges Linda Sun, a former deputy chief of staff to Hochul and Cuomo assistant, with violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registrations Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy.

The 41-year-old Linda Sun is charged with utilizing her powerful positions in the state administration to further the objectives of the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese government in return for millions of dollars. In the purported plan, her 40-year-old husband Chris Hu was also taken into custody.

Sun acted as “an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government while her husband, Hu, facilitated the transfer of millions of dollars in kickbacks for personal gain,” prosecutors said.

On Tuesday morning, Sun and Hu were taken into custody at their Long Island home.

They entered not guilty pleas on Tuesday afternoon. Sun and her husband were scheduled to be freed on $1.5 million and $500,000 bonds, respectively.

After FBI agents searched the couple's $3.5 million house in a gated enclave in Manhasset, Long Island, six weeks prior, the arrests took place.

Court documents claim that Sun broke both state government procedure and internal rules to further the interests of the Chinese government.

Prosecutors claim that among Sun's actions were her role as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese Communist Party and the People's Republic of China, carrying out political actions to advance the CCP's objectives at their request.

The indictment describes Sun's attempt to get "unauthorized invitation letters" from the governor's office, which were subsequently used to allow government representatives from the People's Republic of China to enter the country and meet with state representatives in New York.

According to her LinkedIn page, Sun held jobs in the administration of then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo during her approximately 15 years of service in state government before joining Hochul as deputy chief of staff.

"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," U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said. "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."

According to the indictment, Sun and her husband received "substantial economic and other benefits" that included, among other things, a delivery of "Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by a PRC official's personal chef" that were then delivered to Sun's parents' residence, travel benefits, event tickets, and employment for Sun's cousin in the PRC.

According to the indictment, they additionally used money they obtained through money laundering to purchase expensive cars and real properties in Hawaii and New York.