A former aide to New York governor Kathy Hochul has been charged with appearing as an agent of the Chinese language authorities.
Linda Solar, 41, “acted on the order, route, or request” of China throughout her 14-year state authorities profession in return for hundreds of thousands of {dollars}, a federal indictment alleges. Her husband, Christopher Hu, can also be accused of being a Chinese language agent.
The couple had been arrested at their $3.5m (£2.7m) Lengthy Island house on Tuesday, months after it was raided as a part of an FBI investigation.
Ms Solar was sacked almost two years in the past after the workplace of Ms Hochul, who grew to become governor in 2021, found “proof of misconduct” and reported it to the authorities.
The pair had been resulting from face a Brooklyn federal courtroom on fees together with violating the International Brokers Registration Act, visa fraud, bringing in aliens and cash laundering conspiracy.
Prosecutors say that Ms Solar acted as “an undisclosed agent of the Chinese language authorities”, whereas her husband “facilitated the switch of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in kickbacks for private achieve”.
She is alleged to have blocked representatives of Taiwan’s authorities from talking to New York officers, offered unauthorised invitation letters to the US for Chinese language officers and adjusted state officers’ messaging about China.
Christie Curtis, the appearing assistant director of the FBI, mentioned Ms Solar “wielded her place… to covertly promote” the Chinese language agenda, “straight threatening our nation’s nationwide safety”.
In return, prosecutors declare Ms Solar was given rewards totalling hundreds of thousands of {dollars}. They had been additionally given present tickets, journey perks and meals together with, in response to the indictment, meals of Nanjing-style salted duck.
The couple laundered giant quantities of cash to purchase luxuries together with a Ferrari sports activities automotive and property in Hawaii and New York, the indictment says.
“The illicit scheme enriched the defendant’s household to the tune of hundreds of thousands of {dollars},” mentioned US Lawyer Breon Peace.
The indictment says Mr Hu operated a number of companies in New York, together with a seafood exporter, a wine retailer and a monetary consultancy, and often relied on the providers of an authorised freight agent of the Chinese language authorities.
Ms Solar had held a number of high-ranking posts within the state’s govt department and state businesses since 2012, and served as Ms Hochul’s deputy chief of workers for nearly a yr earlier than she was sacked in 2023.
The governor’s workplace mentioned Ms Solar had been initially employed by the earlier administration of Andrew Cuomo, who give up in August 2021 amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
“This particular person was employed by the chief chamber greater than a decade in the past,” a spokesperson advised the BBC.
“We terminated her employment in March 2023 after discovering proof of misconduct, instantly reported her actions to legislation enforcement and have assisted legislation enforcement all through this course of.”
The FBI raided the couple’s $3.5m (£2.7m) house in July.
