Ex-Aide to NY Governor Charged With Being Agent of Chinese Government

Linda Sun, a former top aide to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, was arrested on Tuesday by the FBI and charged with acting as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government, according to federal prosecutors.

Sun, who previously served as the deputy chief of staff for Hochul, was taken into custody along with her husband, Chris Hu, at their multimillion-dollar home on Long Island on Tuesday morning.

The charges, which were unveiled in a comprehensive indictment on Tuesday, accuse Sun of acting as an undisclosed agent for China while holding various positions within the New York state government.

Sun and Hu are expected to appear in court for the first time on Tuesday afternoon, a spokesman for the US attorney’s office in Brooklyn told the Associated Press.

When reached for comment Sun’s attorney, Seth DuCharme, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press (AP).

Sun’s arrest follows a federal investigation that included a search in July of the couple’s $3.5 million five-bedroom house located in a gated community on Long Island called Stone Hill, but details of that search were not disclosed. According to property records, the couple had purchased the property in 2021 but placed it in a trust earlier this year in March, which raised further questions about their activities.

The FBI previously confirmed this Newsweek that it “conducted court-authorized law enforcement activity in Manhasset” during the July search but declined to offer further details.

Newsweek reached out to Hochul’s office via online form on Tuesday for comment.

Sun’s career in New York state government spans over 15 years, including roles within former Governor Andrew Cuomo’s administration. She rose through the ranks to become Hochul’s deputy chief of staff before transitioning to a position at the New York Department of Labor in November 2022 as the deputy commissioner for strategic business development. However, she left that role in March 2023.

According to the AP, Governor Hochul’s office confirmed that Sun was terminated from her position earlier this year after evidence of misconduct was uncovered. The administration reported Sun’s actions to law enforcement and has cooperated fully with the ongoing investigation.

“This individual was hired over a decade ago, and once we discovered evidence of her misconduct, we immediately terminated her employment and reported her actions to law enforcement,” the spokesperson stated, per the AP. “We have been fully cooperating with authorities throughout this investigation.”

Meanwhile, her husband operates a liquor store in Flushing, Queens, and incorporated several other businesses over the last 10 years.