Zhang used tradecraft to avoid detection and failed to notify the Attorney General of her foreign government ties, which is a federal offense. She is scheduled to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Oct. 5. The case is the latest in a series of Chinese intelligence activities on U.S. soil, following reported targeting of a New York politician and Olympic athlete Alysa Liu. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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US Arrests China Agent for Spying on Taiwan President's Son
Geopolitics16 days ago
Wanying Zhang allegedly spent 2025 collecting photos, videos, and license plate information on the family of a foreign official in Seattle while reporting to handlers in Beijing. The FBI arrested the 34 year old Irvine resident at LAX on Oct. 4 on a federal complaint charging her with acting as an unregistered agent of China. While federal officials initially cited a "close relative of a Taiwanese government official," recent reports from observers of the case identify the targeted individual as the son of Taiwan's President Lai.
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