Linda Sun, a former high-level aide to New York Governor Kathy Hochul and her predecessor Andrew Cuomo, has been accused by federal prosecutors of secretly working for China in exchange for various perks, including orchestra tickets, millions in cash, and over a dozen Nanjing-style salted ducks.
Sun, 40, was charged on Tuesday with more than 10 criminal counts, including visa fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Prosecutors allege that she used her positions within the New York government to advance China’s interests, including blocking Taiwanese officials’ access to the governor’s office and altering public statements from both governors to align with China’s talking points.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Sun communicated directly with Chinese officials about Taiwan’s requests to the governor’s office. In a 2016 message to a Chinese official, she allegedly wrote, “It’s all been taken care of satisfactorily.” In 2019, when Taiwan’s president invited Cuomo to a banquet, Sun reportedly responded to a Chinese official, “Just an FYI, I already blocked it.”
Court filings unsealed on Tuesday reveal that Sun held several high-level roles during her decade-long tenure in New York’s government, including serving as the director for Asian-American affairs and Queens regional representative under Cuomo. She was later promoted to deputy chief of staff under Hochul in September 2021 and then to deputy commissioner for strategic business development in the New York Labor Department from September 2022 to 2023.
Prosecutors claim that Sun arranged meetings for Chinese officials with New York authorities during this period using fake invitation letters. She also allegedly attempted to organize a trip to China for Hochul.
“Sun wielded her position of influence among executives to covertly promote PRC and CCP agendas, directly threatening our country’s national security,” said FBI Acting Assistant Director Curtis, referring to the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party.
In exchange for her actions, Sun allegedly received various undeclared gifts, including ballet and orchestra tickets, VIP suite access at sporting events, and millions of dollars funneled into her husband Chris Hu’s China-based business. She also reportedly received Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by the personal chef of a Chinese consulate official on four occasions between 2021 and 2022. On one occasion, she received up to six ducks at a time.
Federal prosecutors also allege Sun was rewarded with a job for her cousin in China and received additional benefits during a work trip to Jiangsu province. The money she and her husband received from Chinese officials was allegedly used to purchase at least two properties—one in Manhasset, New York, valued at $4.1 million, and a condominium in Honolulu, worth $2.1 million. They also reportedly bought luxury vehicles, including a 2024 Ferrari.
Chris Hu has also been charged by the Justice Department, accused of laundering money and opening bank accounts using a relative’s driver’s license photo.
A spokesperson for Governor Hochul stated that Sun was hired over a decade ago. “We terminated her employment in March 2023 after discovering evidence of misconduct, immediately reported her actions to law enforcement, and have assisted law enforcement throughout this process,“ the spokesperson said. When asked about Sun during an interview with WNYC’s “All Things Considered,“ Hochul said the aide was fired “the second we discovered some levels of misconduct,“ but did not elaborate on the specific behaviors flagged by her office.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said he was unaware of the specific details of Sun’s case. “But in recent years, the U.S. government and media have frequently hyped up the so-called ‘Chinese agents’ narratives, many of which have later been proven untrue,“ he stated, adding that the Embassy opposed “the groundless slandering and smearing targeting China.”
Sun’s lawyer, Jarrod Schaeffer, expressed his intention to challenge the charges in court. “Our client is understandably upset that these charges have been brought,“ he told the Associated Press. A spokesperson for Cuomo did not immediately respond to requests for comment.