Former aide of former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, the current governor of New York Kathy Hochul, who was arrested on Tuesday morning, faces charges including visa fraud, alien trafficking, money laundering, and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Linda Sun is accused of working on behalf of China’s Communist Party and the People’s Republic of China to advance their interests in the United States. Chris Hu, her husband, was arrested and charged with money laundering conspiracy as well as conspiring to commit bank fraud and misusing means of identification.

Sun worked as the Chief of Staff to Rep. Grace Meng, (D-NY), when Meng served in the New York State Assembly. He then held multiple positions for Cuomo, including Director of Asian American Affairs, Deputy Chief Diversity Officer, and Deputy Superintendent for Intergovernmental Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer. Sun was appointed Deputy Chief of staff after Hochul’s appointment in August 2021. He left this position in November 2022 and became the Deputy Commissioner of Strategic Business Development for the New York State Department of Labor.

Christie M. Curtis is the acting Assistant Director in charge of the FBI New York Field Office.

“As stated in the indictment Linda Sun, a former New York State employee, acted in an unreported capacity as an agent of the Chinese Government while her husband Christopher Hu facilitated the transfer of millions of dollars of kickbacks to personal gain. Sun used her influence to promote CCP and PRC agendas among executives, threatening the national security of our country.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District in New York and the indictment, Sun “engaged in numerous political activities for the PRC and CCP’s interests,” including:

• Blocking representatives of the Taiwanese Government from gaining access to New York State high-level officers
• Changing the messaging of high-level New York State officials regarding issues that are important to the PRC or the CCP
• Without proper authorization, it is possible to obtain official New York State Proclamations for representatives of the PRC government;
• A high-ranking New York State politician was contacted to arrange a visit to the PRC.
• Meetings between New York State officials and visiting delegations of the PRC Government.

She also “violated internal rules and protocol within the New York State Government to provide inappropriate benefits to PRC representatives and CCP representatives. This included providing unauthorized letters of invitation from the offices of high-level New York State officials that were used by PRC officials to travel to the United States to meet with New York State officials.”

According to the indictment, her husband laundered bribe funds through a bank account he opened in the name of a relative he knew well, which he created using a photo of the relative’s driver’s license. He had exclusive access to this account.

In exchange for her assistance, it’s alleged that Sun received millions of dollars in kickbacks and other benefits from the PRC, including:

• the facilitation of millions of dollars in transactions for the PRC-based business activities of Hu
• travel benefits;
• tickets to events;
• promotion of a close family friend’s business;
• employment for Sun’s cousin in the PRC;
• and Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by a PRC government official’s chef that were delivered to the residence of Sun’s parents.

Sun and Hu spent the money on three homes, and several luxury cars including a Ferrari 2024. Marco Polo’s staff found pictures of the generous gift:

The feds will want to seize their three homes. The Manhasset one: https://t.co/TRWlxSiZ8X https://t.co/J9odsRBKpN pic.twitter.com/h1TxSJBp8A

— Marco Polo (@MarcoPolo501c3) September 3, 2024

The third property listed in the indictment is the most humble one — it was purchased before the serious ChiCom money started flowing in: https://t.co/NfPF9zaFYT pic.twitter.com/90GDKvVDpn

— Marco Polo (@MarcoPolo501c3) September 3, 2024

Sun and Hu had been scheduled to appear in court Tuesday afternoon, in Brooklyn.