A former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been charged with acting as an agent for the Chinese government, according to US Attorney Breon Peace. Linda Sun, a former deputy chief of staff to Hochul and Cuomo aide, faces charges including violating the Foreign Agents Registrations Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy.
Sun's husband, Chris Hu, is also facing charges of money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and misusing means of identification. The couple was arrested at their Long Island residence after federal investigators raided their home in July.
Prosecutors allege that Sun acted as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government while her husband facilitated the transfer of millions of dollars in kickbacks for personal gain. Both Sun and Hu pleaded not guilty to all charges in federal court and have had their travel restricted to certain areas.
The defendants are accused of using shell companies, iCloud accounts, and WeChat messages in Mandarin in their alleged crimes. Defense attorney Seth DuCharme expressed confidence in their case, calling some of the allegations in the indictment perplexing and overly inflammatory.
Sun had held various government positions for over a decade, including roles in New York's economic development, labor, and the executive chamber. She was hired by Rep. Grace Meng in 2009 and later worked for the Cuomo administration in various capacities before joining Gov. Hochul's team in 2021.
Sun's employment was terminated in March 2023 by the Department of Labor after evidence of misconduct was discovered. Both the Hochul and Cuomo administrations have stated their commitment to ensuring national security free from foreign influence.
