A former deputy chief of staff to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was charged Tuesday with acting as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government, federal prosecutors revealed in a sprawling indictment.
Linda Sun, who held numerous posts in New York state government before rising to the rank of deputy chief of staff for Hochul, was arrested Tuesday morning along with her husband at their USD 3.5 million home on Long Island.
The FBI searched the couple’s home in late July but declined to release further details at the time.
Sun was appointed as deputy chief of staff to Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, in September 2021, making her the highest-ranking Asian American in the administration at that time.
After her tenure in Hochul’s office, she had a brief stint as a deputy secretary in the state Labor Department. According to a source familiar with the matter, Sun was dismissed from her role due to evidence of misconduct.
Prosecutors allege that Linda Sun, at the request of Chinese officials, took several actions to benefit the Chinese government. These included blocking Taiwanese government representatives from accessing high-level New York state officials, altering state messaging on issues related to China, and attempting to arrange a trip to China for a prominent New York politician, among other activities.
Sun faces charges of money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and misuse of means of identification.
United States Attorney Breon Peace stated, “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.”
Who is Linda Sun?
Sun worked in state government for about 15 years, holding posts in the administration of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and eventually becoming Hochul’s deputy chief of staff, according to her LinkedIn profile.In November 2022, she worked as deputy commissioner for strategic business development at the New York Department of Labor, but left months later in March 2023, the profile said.Sun and her husband live in a gated community in Stone Hill on Long Island.The couple purchased the house in 2021 but placed it in a trust earlier this year, records show.
(With inputs from AP)
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