A New York resident pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as an illegal agent for China, the FBI announced on Monday.
His co-defendant has pled not guilty.
Chen Jinping, 60, was found to have assisted in opening and operating an undeclared overseas police station for the Chinese Ministry of Public Security (MPS).
“Today’s guilty plea holds the defendant accountable for his brazen efforts to operate an undeclared overseas police station on behalf of the [People’s Republic of China] national police force — a clear affront to American sovereignty and danger to our community that will not be tolerated,” Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division said.
“The Department of Justice will continue to pursue anyone who attempts to aid the PRC’s efforts to extend their repressive reach into the United States.”
New York Resident Pleads Guilty to Operating Secret Police Station of the Chinese Government in Lower Manhattan https://t.co/SfBBvkea7C
— FBI (@FBI) January 5, 2025
The FBI’s statement alleged that Jinping and his co-defendant “Harry” Lu Jianwang, “conspired to act as illegal agents of the PRC government and also obstructed justice by destroying evidence of their communications with an MPS official.”
First-known case of this sort
This is the first known case of an overseas police station in the United States on behalf of the MPS. It operated out of an entire floor in an office building in Manhattan’s Chinatown.
“Today's acknowledgment of guilt is a stark reminder of the insidious efforts taken by the PRC government to threaten, harass, and intimidate those who speak against their Communist Party,” Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch said.
“These blatant violations will not be tolerated on U.S. soil. The FBI remains committed to preserving the rights and freedoms of all people in our country and will defend against transnational repression at every front,” he added.
Chen currently faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, while Lu is awaiting trial.