US Charges 5 Chinese Individuals for Spying, Harassment of Chinese dissidents in US

WASHINGTON – The US Department of Justice has announced charges against five individuals for stalking, harassing and spying on US residents who have been critical of the Chinese government.

The five individuals — Qiming Lin, Shujun Wang, Fan “Frank” Liu, Matthew Ziburis, and Qiang “Jason” Sun — allegedly work on behalf of China’s secret police to target Chinese nationals residing in the US.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew Olsen said:

“Authoritarian states around the world feel emboldened to reach beyond their borders to intimidate or exact reprisals against individuals who dare to speak out against oppression and corruption.”

“This activity is antithetical to fundamental American values – we will not tolerate such repression here when it violates our laws. We will defend the rights of Americans and those who come to live, work and study in the United States,” he added.

Wang, a former visiting scholar who helped form a pro-democracy group in Queens, is accused of secretly collecting data on dissidents on behalf of China’s Ministry of State Security, according to a department statement.

Liu, Ziburis and Sun are accused of multiple crimes, including attempting to destroy the artwork of a Chinese dissident in Los Angeles that was critical of the government in Beijing. Lin allegedly tried to derail the candidacy of a candidate for Congress who had been a student leader in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.

Lin is charged with conspiracy to commit interstate harassment, as well as another conspiracy charge. Wang is charged with acting as an agent of the Chinese government, criminal use of identification, and making false statements.

Liu and Ziburis are charged with conspiring to act as agents of the PRC government. They and Sun are also charged with conspiring to bribe a federal official.