Linda Sun, former deputy chief of staff to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, has been indicted on charges of acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) while serving in state government, federal prosecutors announced on Tuesday.

Sun and her husband, Christopher Hu, were arrested on Tuesday morning and are expected to be arraigned later in the day. National Review reports on the indictment, filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, alleges that Sun, who has held various roles in New York state government since 2012, used her position to further the interests of the Chinese government and the CCP. Prior to her work with Hochul, Sun served as chief of staff to Representative Grace Meng (D-NY) when Meng was a member of the New York State Assembly.

“As alleged, while appearing to serve the people of New York as deputy chief of staff within the New York State Executive Chamber, the defendant and her husband actually worked to further the interests of the Chinese government and the CCP,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace in a statement.

The federal government alleges that Sun worked as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government, while her husband engaged in money laundering, facilitating the flow of millions of dollars in bribes from Chinese officials. Sun is accused of using her government position to block Taiwanese officials from engaging with New York state officials, aligning her actions with Beijing’s stance on Taiwan, which it views as a separatist territory.

Additionally, Sun allegedly manipulated New York State messaging to reflect the priorities of the Chinese government and sought to arrange a visit to China by an unnamed high-level New York state politician. She is also accused of setting up meetings for Chinese government delegations visiting the state and violating state protocols by crafting invitations from high-level government offices for Chinese officials, which the federal government claims facilitated illegal entry into the United States.

The indictment further details Sun’s involvement with pro-Beijing organizations in the U.S. during her time in New York state government. The China General Chamber of Commerce New York, representing Chinese state-owned firms, had publicly acknowledged Sun’s assistance, celebrating her promotion to deputy chief of staff in a press release.

Governor Hochul had participated in events hosted by these pro-Beijing groups during Sun’s tenure, including an annual parade attended by Chinese diplomats and local community organizations with ties to China’s consulate general in New York. During one of these events, Hochul waved a Chinese flag, raising further questions about the extent of Beijing’s influence in New York.

In 2017, Sun traveled to China on a junket organized by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, a subsidiary of the CCP’s United Front Work Department, which is known for its political influence operations.

The indictment also reveals the lavish lifestyle Sun and Hu maintained, financed by millions of dollars funneled through Hu’s China-based businesses. Among the luxury items they purchased were a $3.6 million house on Long Island, a $1.9 million condominium in Honolulu, and a 2024 model Ferrari. The indictment even mentions that Sun’s parents received “Nanjing-style salted ducks” prepared by a Chinese government official’s chef as part of the financial and economic benefits provided by Chinese officials.