Two men face accusations of spying in the US. They allegedly recruited sailors and gathered secret information for China, threatening to years behind bars.
Two Chinese citizens were detained by the US authorities in connection with the alleged espionage and effort to recruit US Navy members into the Chinese intelligence service, the US Department of Justice said on Tuesday. Both are facing accusations of actions as agents of the Chinese government, for which they are threatened with up to 10 years behind bars in the event of a conviction, TASR reports, according to the AFP report and The Washington Post.
Yuan-Cche Čhen (38) and Li-Zema Laj (39) were detained by the US Federal Investigation Office (FBI) on Friday. Both reportedly carried out several news activities in the United States on behalf of the Chinese Ministry of State Security. In addition to the recruitment of US Navy members, they are accused of paying for information about Washington National Security or photographing the naval base.
“This case emphasizes the lasting and aggressive efforts of the Chinese government to infiltrate our army and undermine our national security from within,” said US Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Ministry of Justice will not see how enemy countries are deploying spies in our country – we will reveal foreign agents … and we will protect the American people from secret threats for our national security,” she added.
Čhen came to the United States legally in 2015 and later gained a permanent residence. According to prosecutors, Laj came to the USA in April. Investigators believe that Laj was preparing Chhen as a Chinese intelligence agent since at least mid -2021.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not respond immediately at the request for a comment.
