Report: Illegal immigrant from China living in California shipped weapons to North Korea

ONTARIO, CA - On Tuesday, December 3rd, an immigrant from China who is here illegally after his student visa expired, was arrested on federal charges alleging that the schemed to illegally ship weapons to North Korea.

According to FOX11, officials said that the weapons were to be used by the secretive communist country's military in a "surprise attacked on South Korea." The suspect, 41-year-old Shengua Wen, and his co-conspirators exported at least two shipments of firearms and ammunition to North Korea by concealing the items inside shipping containers that were shipped from Long Beach through Hong Kong to North Korea.

The criminal complaint, which was unsealed in a Los Angeles federal court stated that this took place in 2023. Officials said that on August 14, 2024, federal agents seized two items from Wen's home that he admitted obtaining to sent to the North Korean government for its military use.

Court documents say that the items included a chemical threat identification device and a hand-held receiver that eavesdrops on transmissions. Wen has been charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a felony that carries a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison. Officials said that after his initial court appearance, he could be arraigned within weeks.

According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Wen, who allegedly outstayed a student visa in 2012 to remain illegally in the United States, violated federal law and U.S. sanctions against North Korea by obtaining firearms, ammunition, and export-controlled technology with the intention of illegally exporting them.

On September 6th, federal prosecutors said that law enforcement seized about 50,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that Wen allegedly obtained to send to North Korea. In a statement, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said, "In light of the extraordinary threat North Korea poses, there must be approval from the U.S. government to ship such items to North Korea." He said that North Korea "engaged in a scheme to circumvent those restrictions."

Estrada said that before leaving China to come to the U.S on a student visa, Wen allegedly met with North Korean government representatives in China and planned the scheme. North Korea subsequently sent Wen nearly $2 million to pay for materials and shipping costs. 

Prosecutors said that while in the U.S., Wen purchased a business to obtain weapons and other items to export to North Korea. Those items included military uniforms to "helps conduct a surprise attack on South Korea." Akil Davi, the FBI's Los Angeles assistant director in charge said in a statement, "The significance of this arrest and discovery of this scheme cannot be overstated. Not only did the investigative team prevent additional restricted items going to the North Korean regime, but they gathered valuable intelligence for the United States and our allies."

Estrada said, "This conduct alleged in this in this complaint is chilling." He then alleged that North Korea was "running on operative in this country to obtain technology ... to help conduct an attack on one of our allies." Prosecutors said that this year, from January to April, Wen sent email and text messages to a U.S.-based broker about obtaining a civilian plane engine.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) said that there were several text messages on Wen's cellphone concerning price negotiation for the plane and its engine.