A federal jury has convicted a Chinese student at Berklee College of Music of intimidating and stalking someone who posted a flyer supporting Chinese democracy on campus, according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release. court documents revealed.
Xiaolei Wu, a citizen of the People's Republic of China (PRC), was found guilty of cyberstalking, stalking and interstate threatening communication after a four-day jury trial, documents show. . according to Department of Justice.
“No one in this country should be subjected to threats of violence or cyberstalking harassment campaigns for expressing their political views.” “He has been convicted of a felony for unlawfully suppressing student speech. This type of conduct will never be tolerated,” said Joshua S. Levy, Assistant District Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, according to a press release. There is.
“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the fundamental right of free speech for all people. According to the Department of Justice, our office is committed to protecting the fundamental right of free speech for all people. “We will hold accountable individuals who threaten or violate this fundamental ideal,” he added. (Related: Monopoly: The leadership of a major US landowner packed with Chinese Communist Party members)
According to the Department of Justice, documents show that from approximately October 22, 2022 to approximately October 24, 2022, a 26-year-old man communicated with victims who distributed flyers supporting Chinese democracy on a Boston campus. He reportedly tried to communicate many times. . The documents revealed that the communications took place via email, Instagram and WeChat, the Justice Department said. Documents show that Wu was arrested by the FBI in December 2022 and indicted by a federal grand jury a month later, according to a press release.
#breaking news: today, #FBI Boston special agents arrested Xiaolei Wu, a Chinese student at Berklee College of Music, on suspicion of stalking an individual who posted pro-democracy flyers in China. https://t.co/fo8aPJYAv1 pic.twitter.com/yNjPJ8XEly
— FBI Boston (@FBIBoston) December 14, 2022
A flyer posted in a press release reads, “We want freedom. We want food on the table. We want to breathe. We want art. We want democracy. We want to love. Let's stand with the Chinese.”
In one of the messages to the victim, Wu wrote, “Post more and I'll cut off this bastard's hand,” according to court documents.
According to the documents, Wu told the victims that they would report their activities to the Chinese Public Security Bureau and that the Bureau would “pick up” their relatives there. According to the press release, the documents state that Wu obtained the victim's address from someone else and posted the victim's email online, hoping that the other person would attack him through that means. .
The press release states that Wu provided the victim's information to Chinese government officials.
A federal judge will determine sentencing, the press release said. Sending threatening communications and cyberstalking each carry penalties of up to five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000, according to the Department of Justice. A conviction could also include up to three years of supervised release, the press release added.
