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Linda Sun, ex-aide to Gov. Hochul and Gov. Cuomo, accused of being Chinese agent
By
Jon Campbell
Published Sep 3, 2024
Modified Sep 3, 2024
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J. Conrad Williams Jr./Newsday RM via Getty Images/Brooklyn U.S. Attorneys office
By
Jon Campbell
Published Sep 3, 2024
Modified Sep 3, 2024
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A former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was arrested Tuesday on charges she secretly used her position to boost the Chinese government and Chinese Communist Party while making millions of dollars from her husband’s business exporting lobsters to China.
Linda Sun, 41, and her husband, Christopher Hu, 40, were taken into custody a month-and-a-half after the FBI searched their Long Island home in late July. Sun is accused of repeatedly taking action on behalf of Chinese officials — doing everything from blocking state officials from meeting with Taiwanese government representatives to fraudulently helping them obtain work visas, to adjusting messaging by Hochul and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s offices to more closely align with the Chinese government.
At one point in March 2020, Sun arranged for a Chinese government official to surreptitiously listen to a conference call of New York state government leaders, who were discussing how to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and a rise in hate crimes against Asians., according to the indictment.
In return, Sun and Hu enriched themselves “to the tune of millions of dollars” after officials with ties to the Chinese government helped Hu’s seafood company get a foothold in China, according to Breon Peace, the U.S. attorney for New York's Eastern District. That money, which prosecutors say was never listed on Sun’s state disclosure forms or the couple’s taxes, allegedly helped them buy a 2024 Ferrari, a $3.6 million home in Manhasset and a $1.9 million condo in Honolulu.
Linda Sun and her husband, Christopher Hu (left), leave Brooklyn federal court.
Catalina Gonella
Prosecutors also detailed other perks, including tickets to concerts and sporting events, as well as "Nanjing-style salted ducks," which were prepared by the personal chef of a Chinese government official and sent three separate times to Sun’s parents’ home.
“Sun wielded her position of influence among executives to covertly promote [People’s Republic of China] and [Chinese Communist Party] agendas, directly threatening our country’s national security,” Peace said in a statement.
Sun faces charges ranging from visa fraud to violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Hu is charged with conspiring to commit money laundering and bank fraud.
Both pleaded not guilty during appearances in Brooklyn federal court. Sun was released on a $1.5 million bond. Hu received a $500,000 bond. Sun was also barred from contacting the Chinese consulate and mission. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not respond to an inquiry.
“We have a lot of confidence in our case. A number of the allegations in the indictment are frankly inflammatory, perplexing,” Hu’s attorney Seth DuCharme said. Sun's attorney Jarrod Schaeffer said they're seeking a speedy trial.
Sun was Hochul’s deputy chief of staff in 2021 and 2022 before serving as deputy commissioner at the state Department of Labor.
In an interview with WNYC Tuesday afternoon, Hochul said her office fired Sun last year after discovering evidence of misconduct and reported her to law enforcement.
“I’m furious and I’m outraged and absolutely shocked at how brazen her behavior was," Hochul told WNYC's Sean Carlson. "It was a betrayal of trust: the trust of government, the trust of the people."
Hochul declined to specify the misconduct that was discovered but said it would come out in the course of Sun's legal case.
Prior to her roles in the Hochul administration, Sun served a number of roles in the Cuomo administration, including a high-ranking post in the state’s economic development branch that involved organizing international trade missions, according to her LinkedIn account.
Sun’s alleged influence campaign lasted from 2015 through 2023. The indictment alleges she regularly communicated with Chinese government officials about her efforts to promote China’s reputation in the Empire State.
Her work often involved ensuring neither Cuomo nor Hochul’s offices recognized Taiwan as an official country. For decades, the People’s Republic of China has not recognized the government of Taiwan and has refused to maintain diplomatic relations with countries that do.
At times, Sun went as far as to limit contact between high-ranking state officials and Taiwanese representatives, relaying as much to Chinese officials.
When the Taiwanese government donated 200,000 masks to New York during the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, Sun allegedly ensured Cuomo’s office that didn’t publicly acknowledge the donation, and kept a Chinese official apprised. At another point, she acknowledged almost having “a heart attack” when a Cuomo press release referred to Taiwan as a country — which she immediately had removed.
“Certainly I have managed to stop all relationships between the [Taiwanese economic and culture office] and the state,” Sun wrote to a Chinese official in 2019, according to the indictment. “I have denied all [r]equests from their office.”
“I know and do appreciate your help,” the official responded. “[W]ith us now in the political section, you are the most important hub connecting us with [Cuomo] and his team.”
In early 2021, Sun arranged for Hochul, who was the lieutenant governor at the time, to record a Lunar New Year message for the Chinese consul general’s office. When Sun sent the official the video — set to a festive backdrop with traditional Chinese imagery and music — she noted she blocked a speechwriter’s attempt to include a reference to Uyghur people held in state-run camps in China.
Sun also allegedly sent fraudulent invitation letters from the governor’s office to Chinese officials, allowing them to obtain work visas to travel to the U.S.
All the while, a pair with ties to the Chinese government — identified in the indictment as co-conspirator 1 and co-conspirator 2 — helped Hu navigate international hurdles to establish his seafood exporting business in China’s mainland, according to the indictment.
Hu’s business, Foodie Fisherman LLC, was looking to export lobsters to China’s Henan Province in 2016. The assistance paid off and Hu’s companies eventually earned millions of dollars, which prosecutors say he laundered into the U.S. without listing on his taxes.
As a result, Sun and Hu moved from Forest Hills, Queens to Manhasset after buying a multimillion-dollar home in an exclusive North Shore neighborhood in 2021. That same year, they also bought the condo on the 47th floor of a Honolulu high rise.
Sun did not list the payments on her state-mandated disclosure forms, which she has to file each year. Nor did she list any gifts received from Chinese government officials, such as travel and the salted ducks. In 2020, she listed Hu as receiving no more than $150,000 from Foodie Fisherman — the highest amount she listed in any of the annual forms.
This story has been updated with comments from Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Catalina Gonella contributed reporting.
Tagged
new york city
public safety
Politics
long island
Jon Campbell
Jon Campbell covers the New York State Capitol for WNYC and Gothamist. Prior to that, he covered the Capitol for more than a decade for the USA TODAY Network. He has twice earned the Walter T. Brown Memorial Award, an honor given annually by the Legislative Correspondents Association alumni for outstanding state government coverage. Jon grew up in the Buffalo area and graduated from the University at Albany. Got a tip? Email Jon at [email protected] or Signal at JonCampbellNY.90.
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