NEW YORK CITY, NY - A Manhattan resident of Chinese heritage has pleaded guilty to helping start a secret police station in New York City on behalf of the Chinese government.
According to the Associated Press (AP), on Wednesday, December 18th, 60-year-old Chen Jinping entered his guilty plea on a single count of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government in federal court. The press release from the Department of Justice (DOJ) states that the undeclared overseas police station was located in lower Manhattan for the PRC's Ministry of Public Security (MPS).
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the DOJ's National Security Division said in a statement, "Today's guilty plea holds the defendant accountable for his brazen efforts to operate an undeclared overseas police station on behalf of the PRC's national police force — a clear affront to American sovereignty and danger to our community that will not be tolerated."
Prosecutors said that Chen and his co-defendant, Lu Jianwang, opened and operated a local branch of China's Ministry of Public Security in Manhattan's Chinatown neighborhood starting in early 2022. The office, which occupied an entire floor of the building, performed basic services, such as helping Chinese citizens renew their Chinese driver's licenses, but also identified pro-democracy activists living in the United States.
The Chinese police operation was shut down in the fall of 2022 amid an FBI investigation. However, prosecutors said that in an apparent effort to obstruct the federal probe, Chen and Lu deleted from their phone communications with a Chinese government official they reported to.
China is believed to be operating such secretive police stations in North America, Europe, and other places where there are Chines communities. The country, however, has denied that they are police stations, claiming that they exist mainly to provide citizen services such as renewing a driver's license.
The arrest of Chen and Lu in April 2023 was part of a series of DOJ prosecutions aimed at cracking-down on "transnational repression," in which foreign governments such as China work to identify, intimidate, and silence dissidents in the United States.
In a statement, Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI's National Security Branch said, "Today's acknowledgement of guilt is a stark reminder of the insidious efforts taken by the PRC government to threaten, harass, and intimidate those who speak against their Communist Party. These blatant violations will not be tolerated on U.S. soil. The FBI remains committed to preserving the rights and freedoms of all people in our country and will defend against transnational repression at every front."
Chen face a maximum prison sentence of five years. Per his plea agreement, the government has agreed to dismiss the obstruction of justice charge against him. Lu has pleaded not guilty to both of the charges against him and is awaiting trial. Lu reportedly has a longstanding relationship with Chinese law enforcement officials.
Over the years, they say that the Bronx resident, who was known as Harry Lu, helped harass and threaten a Chinese fugitive living in the U.S. and also worked to locate a pro-democracy activist in California on behalf of China's government.
According to the Associated Press (AP), on Wednesday, December 18th, 60-year-old Chen Jinping entered his guilty plea on a single count of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government in federal court. The press release from the Department of Justice (DOJ) states that the undeclared overseas police station was located in lower Manhattan for the PRC's Ministry of Public Security (MPS).
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the DOJ's National Security Division said in a statement, "Today's guilty plea holds the defendant accountable for his brazen efforts to operate an undeclared overseas police station on behalf of the PRC's national police force — a clear affront to American sovereignty and danger to our community that will not be tolerated."
Prosecutors said that Chen and his co-defendant, Lu Jianwang, opened and operated a local branch of China's Ministry of Public Security in Manhattan's Chinatown neighborhood starting in early 2022. The office, which occupied an entire floor of the building, performed basic services, such as helping Chinese citizens renew their Chinese driver's licenses, but also identified pro-democracy activists living in the United States.
The Chinese police operation was shut down in the fall of 2022 amid an FBI investigation. However, prosecutors said that in an apparent effort to obstruct the federal probe, Chen and Lu deleted from their phone communications with a Chinese government official they reported to.
China is believed to be operating such secretive police stations in North America, Europe, and other places where there are Chines communities. The country, however, has denied that they are police stations, claiming that they exist mainly to provide citizen services such as renewing a driver's license.
The arrest of Chen and Lu in April 2023 was part of a series of DOJ prosecutions aimed at cracking-down on "transnational repression," in which foreign governments such as China work to identify, intimidate, and silence dissidents in the United States.
In a statement, Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI's National Security Branch said, "Today's acknowledgement of guilt is a stark reminder of the insidious efforts taken by the PRC government to threaten, harass, and intimidate those who speak against their Communist Party. These blatant violations will not be tolerated on U.S. soil. The FBI remains committed to preserving the rights and freedoms of all people in our country and will defend against transnational repression at every front."
Chen face a maximum prison sentence of five years. Per his plea agreement, the government has agreed to dismiss the obstruction of justice charge against him. Lu has pleaded not guilty to both of the charges against him and is awaiting trial. Lu reportedly has a longstanding relationship with Chinese law enforcement officials.
Over the years, they say that the Bronx resident, who was known as Harry Lu, helped harass and threaten a Chinese fugitive living in the U.S. and also worked to locate a pro-democracy activist in California on behalf of China's government.
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