Former Queens political player accused of operating undercover as Chinese agent

By Ryan Schwach

A former senior adviser with ties to Queens was charged Tuesday with allegedly secretly trying to influence New York officials at the behest of the Chinese government.

Linda Sun, a former senior official in the Executive Chamber who once led the governor’s Asian Affairs efforts in Queens, appeared before a federal judge Tuesday and now faces multiple allegations that she used her government position to act on behalf of Chinese government officials.

According to the 64-page indictment, Sun used her position from 2016 to 2022 to manipulate former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Gov. Kathy Hochul’s policies regarding China and Taiwan, and was rewarded for her actions by the Chinese government.

Sun is charged with 10 counts, including violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Her husband, Chris Hu, was also charged with money laundering, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and misuse of identifying equipment.

“As alleged, while ostensibly serving the people of New York … the defendant and her husband were in fact working to advance the interests of the Chinese government and (the Chinese Communist Party),” said United States Attorney Breon Peace. “This illegal scheme enriched the defendant’s family by millions of dollars.”

The couple has ties in Queens. Hu has run businesses in the borough, including a liquor store, and Sun previously worked for current congresswoman Grace Meng when Meng was a member of the state Assembly.

In 2012, Sun was hired by Cuomo to be his administration’s liaison to local Asian American communities, particularly in Queens. She later became director of external affairs for Empire State Development’s Global NY program, a position that involved leading trade and investment missions to five different countries each year, according to her LinkedIn profile.

According to the indictment, Sun began working for Chinese Communist Party agents in 2016 while working for the Cuomo administration.

On numerous occasions, Sun, at the behest of Chinese officials, prevented Taiwanese officials from meeting or communicating with both administrations.

China does not recognize Taiwan as a state, and neither does the United States.

Neither Cuomo nor Hochul expressed any explicit policy and often turned to Sun when trying to raise sensitive political issues, the indictment alleges.

At times, Sun prevented Hochul and Cuomo from communicating with the Taiwanese embassy and also banned them from appearing at Taiwanese events.

In January 2019, Sun allegedly boasted about her work to help China and prevent Taiwan from expanding into Albany markets.

“I value my relationship with the consulate very much and have done a lot to make the relationship between the state and the consulate flourish during my term with (Cuomo),” Sun wrote in a message to the Chinese official. “I have certainly succeeded in ending all relations between (Taiwan) and the state.”

The Sun went on to endorse the wording used in Cuomo and Hochul’s official statements.

In August 2019, she amended Cuomo’s statement commemorating U.S. and Taiwanese military service members and veterans to avoid any recognition of Taiwan itself.

In 2021, when Hochul was governor, Sun allegedly allowed one of her Chinese government contacts to help write and modify the governor’s Lunar New Year statement.

“Can you share with me some talking points about things you’d like her to mention?” Sun texted her contact. “I can make sure I include that in her notes.”

Her contact instructed her to remove from the statement any references to the plight of Uighurs, a Muslim minority in China that faces widespread prejudice and persecution.

Hochul did not mention the Uyghurs at all in her 2021 Lunar New Year speech.

In 2019, Sun allegedly forged invitation letters from Hochul twice to bring Chinese government officials to the U.S. for meetings.

In 2022, Sun was transferred to the Department of Labor, where she allegedly continued to work for China, doing work beyond her duties at the department.

FBI officials said Sun’s actions threaten U.S. national security.

“Sun used her position of influence within the C-suite to covertly promote (the People’s Republic of China) and (the Chinese Communist Party), directly threatening our country’s national security,” said FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Christie Curtis. “In return, Sun was generously compensated for these actions.”

Prosecutors say she and her husband received millions of dollars in travel benefits, tickets, gourmet meals, luxury cars including a Ferrari, a $3.6 million home on Long Island and a $2 million apartment building in Hawaii.

Sun and Hu are accused of laundering money and benefits they received from Sun’s Chinese intermediaries.

In response to Sun’s arrest on Tuesday, Hochul’s office said she was fired immediately after they learned of her misconduct.

“This individual was hired by the Executive Chamber more than a decade ago,” spokesman Avi Small said. “We terminated his employment in March 2023 after discovering evidence of misconduct, immediately reported his actions to law enforcement, and assisted law enforcement throughout the process.”

Representatives for Meng’s office did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday, but another Queens elected official, state Sen. John Liu, came to Sun’s defense.

“The federal government has a despicable history of bringing charges against prominent Chinese-Americans, only to later drop all charges, regardless of the lives and careers senselessly destroyed,” he said in a statement. “I have worked with Linda Sun for many years and have known her to be nothing but hardworking, professional and conscientious, and she is absolutely innocent until proven otherwise.”

Both Sun and Hu pleaded not guilty during a preliminary hearing on Tuesday and are due back in court on September 25.