FBI arrests alleged Chinese agent at LAX after she allegedly surveilled son of Taiwanese president
- On Sunday, October 4, 2026, the FBI arrested Irvine realtor Wanying "Heather" Zhang at Los Angeles International Airport, charging her with acting as an unregistered agent for the People's Republic of China.
- Prosecutors allege Zhang and an accomplice traveled to Seattle in September 2025 to surveil Lai Ting-yu, the U.S.-based son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, using a rented black Nissan Rogue.
- Zhang allegedly texted "Saw him. It's that young one" via WeChat while recording video, and FBI agents traced her recruitment to a June 2025 meeting with a Chinese official through a Beijing's University of International Relations classmate.
- Taiwan's Presidential Office condemned the surveillance as a "typical case of transnational repression," with spokesperson Karen Kuo stating, "Such behavior should not be tolerated in the civilized world."
- FBI Director Kash Patel warned foreign adversaries that "America is no longer a safe place to run your espionage operations," as the arrest follows cases like former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang's influence operation.
378 Articles
378 Articles
California realtor charged with spying on Taiwan president's family in Seattle
FBI agents arrested a California realtor suspected of spying for China by illegally gathering personal information on a relative of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te and providing it to Beijing, the Justice Department announced Monday.
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Alleged unregistered agent of China set to appear in court
(The Center Square) – An Irvine, Calif. woman accused of operating as an unregistered agent for China was scheduled to appear for arraignment in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles Monday - one day after being arrested by the…
Another Alleged Chinese Agent Arrested in California. Why Is the Golden State a Target?
An Irvine woman accused of surveilling the family of Taiwan’s president at the direction of Chinese officials was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday as she attempted to leave the United States for China. The arrest of Wanying “Heather” Zhang, 34, marks the latest in a series of Chinese foreign-agent cases with ties...
He would have been charged with guarding the son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te.
Los Angeles, U.S.A., Oct. 5 (EFE).- FBI director Kash Patel warned Monday that the U.S. is not “the playground” of U.S. adversaries after the arrest of a woman residing in California for allegedly guarding the son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on behalf of Chinese officials. “Presumptively the Chinese government [...] The FBI entry says that the U.S. “is not playground” of its enemies after arrest for Chinese espionage was first published …
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