The Department of Justice announced Wednesday that it has indicted a New York man on charges of acting as a spy for the Chinese government inside the United States.
Yuanjun Tan, 68, is a resident of Flushing, Queens, and is a US citizen. readThe Department of Justice accuses him of spying on people in the United States who are critical of the People's Republic of China (PRC).
“As alleged, for years, Yuan Jun Tang used his position as a leading pro-democracy activist in the United States to gather intelligence for the Chinese government and report on China's critics and pro-democracy events,” U.S. Attorney Damien Williams said. “Today's charges reflect our authorities' determination to combat the repressive and unlawful use of foreign agents in the United States to sow fear and distrust in our communities and undermine our nation's most fundamental freedoms.”
Grunge Chinese flag (Photo by Poligrafistka via Getty Images)
The Justice Department alleges that Tang acted as a Chinese agent under the orders of the Ministry of State Security (MSS) from 2018 to 2023. The MSS is known for conducting counterintelligence, espionage and foreign intelligence gathering. (Related article: Experts warn that Biden administration's relaxation of vetting process for illegal Chinese immigrants poses national security risks)
According to the Justice Department, Tang communicated with China's Ministry of State Security through a variety of means, including email, encrypted chats, text messages, voice calls and video calls. Tang's activities were targeted at individuals and groups that China viewed as threats to its interests, including prominent Chinese democracy activists based in the United States, the Justice Department said.
The Department of Justice alleges that Tang met in person several times with officials from the China National Social Security Administration and helped them infiltrate encrypted messaging groups used by Chinese dissidents to discuss pro-democracy issues. During the investigation, law enforcement officials reportedly recovered instructions from the China National Social Security Administration, as well as photographs, videos and documents that Tang allegedly collected from his electronic devices to send to the China National Social Security Administration.
Ding is a former Chinese national who, according to a press release, was imprisoned by Chinese authorities for criticizing the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) political system. Tang reportedly defected to Taiwan around 2002 and was later granted political asylum in the United States. He lives in New York City as a “pro-democracy” activist within the Chinese dissident community, according to the Department of Justice.
He faces three charges: conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General, acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General, and making false statements.
Tan faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted on all three charges.
