FBI arrests alleged Chinese agent at LAX after she allegedly surveilled son of Taiwanese president
- On Sunday, federal law enforcement arrested Irvine, California, realtor Wanying "Heather" Zhang at Los Angeles International Airport before she boarded a flight to Shanghai, China, charging her with acting as an unregistered agent of the People's Republic of China.
- According to an Oct. 3, 2026, criminal complaint filed by FBI Special Agent Kevin Holt, the PRC sought leverage over Taiwan's president during potential conflict by obtaining photographs and location data of close relatives, including the president's son.
- Text messages obtained via an iCloud warrant show Zhang texting a handler, "Saw him. It's that young one," and "I am videorecording," while neighbor security cameras allegedly captured the pair appearing to film Ting-Yu Lai's family in September 2025.
- Ting-Yu, a Philips employee in his 30s, attended college in America and has a U.S.-born child. This arrest follows federal prosecutions of Chinese agents, including Shujun Wang, who infiltrated pro-democracy activists in New York for 17 years.
- Zhang's husband, Edric Ding, told CBS News on Sunday he did not know details about the allegations. The investigation remains ongoing as federal authorities continue targeting suspected foreign intelligence operations within the United States.
33 Articles
33 Articles
US: FBI arrests woman accused of spying for China
US officials announced on Sunday that a woman had been arrested by the FBI and accused of spying for China in the United States. Wanying Z., 34, of Irvine, California, was detained at at Los Angeles International Airport ahead of a scheduled flight to China. She faces charges of acting as an unregistered foreign agent. The woman "traveled to Seattle in 2025 and, at the direction of (People's Republic of China) officials, surveilled a close relat…
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Arrested woman was monitoring close family member of Taiwanese government official in US, court documents show
The FBI reported that a woman had been detained at Los Angeles International Airport on suspicion of spying for the PRC. American intelligence officers detained a 34-year-old Californian suspected of illegal activities in favour of Beijing and handed over RIA News to RIA. "The FBI detained an alleged PRC agent at Los Angeles Airport before she could take a flight to Shanghai," says the agency's social network statement X. According to the invest…
California realtor arrested for spying for China; tracked Taiwan President's son
The accused has been identified as 34-year-old Wanying Zhang, alias Heather. She was arrested by the FBI at the Los Angeles International Airport ahead of her planned departure to China, the agency said in a statement.
Wangying "Heather" Zhang was arrested at Los Angeles airport while attempting to depart for China.
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