Ex-aide to NY governor charged with acting as Chinese agent
New York: A former aide to New York Governor Kathy Hochul was charged on Tuesday with secretly acting as an agent of the Chinese government in exchange for millions of dollars in compensation and gifts, including meals of gourmet duck.
Linda Sun, 41, and her husband Chris Hu, 40, pleaded not guilty to criminal charges before US Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo in Brooklyn, after being arrested on Tuesday morning.
Former New York Governor Kathy Hochul aide Linda Sun leaves Brooklyn Federal Court after her arraignment.Credit: AP
Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn said that while working in state government, Sun blocked representatives of the Taiwanese government from meeting with officials, and sought to arrange for a high-level New York state official to visit China.
In exchange, Chinese government representatives allegedly arranged for millions of dollars in transactions for Hu, who had business activities in China.
Prosecutors said Sun and Hu used money to buy a 2024 Ferrari Roma sports car, as well as property on New York’s Long Island and in Honolulu worth about $US6 million ($8.9 million), prosecutors said.
Attorney Seth DuCharme, left, walks with Linda Sun, centre right, and her husband, Christopher Hu, as they leave Brooklyn Federal Court after their arraignment.Credit: AP
Other gifts included Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by a Chinese government official’s personal chef and delivered to the home of Sun’s parents, prosecutors said.
Hochul was not accused of any wrongdoing.
Her office fired Sun in March 2023 after discovering evidence of misconduct, reported Sun’s actions immediately to authorities, and has assisted law enforcement throughout the process, a spokesperson for the governor said.
