Linda Sun, the former aide to two governors accused of being an agent of the Chinese government and resident of Manhasset, has received additional charges in her federal indictment case.
Her husband, Chris Hu, also charged in the case, received additional charges as well. Both pleaded not guilty on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Sun received additional charges of bribery and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act connected to her money laundering conspiracy charge. Hu received an additional three charges of money laundering, according to the indictment.
The charges are associated with three purchases made by Hu in 2020 totaling $1.5 million.
Sun is a former deputy chief of staff for Hochul and holds a 15-year-long career working in government, beginning in 2009 as chief of staff for Rep. Grace Meng’s state Assembly office.
“The indictment lays out very clearly evidence that these actions taken by Linda Sun were an absolute betrayal of the trust of two administrations in state government, lying and misleading to our – these administrations, breaking our ethics rules, and even forging my signature on documents,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in September a press conference. “But more importantly than that, that this is a betrayal of New Yorkers and of the American people. Public service is a calling. It should be revered, highly respected, and people in these positions step up to serve the people, not betray them.”
Sun and her husband were arrested in September a month after FBI agents raided their Manhasset home. The raid was held before dawn on the morning of July 23 at Linda Sun’s Stone Hill gated community home on Saxony Court.
Sun, a naturalized citizen of the United States who was born in China, was originally charged in a federal court in Brooklyn with violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy, according to the Justice Department.
She is alleged to have acted on behalf of the government of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party. Sun’s husband, Chris Hu, was also charged with money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and misuse of means of identification.
Sun allegedly provided unauthorized invitation letters from the office of high-level New York State officers that were used to facilitate travel by PRC government officials into the United States for meetings with New York State government officials, according to the indictment.
Her unauthorized invitation letters for the PRC government delegation constituted false statements made in connection with immigration documents and induced the foreign citizens into unlawfully entering the United States, the indictment states.
Sun allegedly concealed that she took actions at the order, request or direction of PRC government and the CCP representatives. In return, Sun allegedly received substantial economic and other benefits from representatives of the PRC government and the CCP.
Sun and Hu allegedly laundered the monetary proceeds of this scheme to purchase, among other items, real estate property in Manhasset, currently valued at $4.1 million, a condominium in Honolulu, Hawaii currently valued at $2.1 million, and various luxury automobiles, including a 2024 Ferrari.
Sun never disclosed any benefits she received from representatives of the PRC government and the CCP to the New York State government, as she was required to do as a New York State government employee, according to the indictment.
Hu also allegedly laundered unlawful proceeds through bank accounts opened in the name of a close relative, but that were for Hu’s exclusive use. To open these accounts, Hu unlawfully used an image of the relative’s driver’s license.
Hochul previously said she and her office have been aiding the Justice Department in the investigation.
“I am furious. I am outraged by this behavior,” Hochul said in September. “And we’re going to continue working alongside the administration to get the Department of Justice to get this done.”
Sun served under Hochul as chief of staff from September 2021 until November 2022, but has held many other government positions. These include director of Asian American affairs, Queens regional representative and deputy chief diversity officer under former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Her final position was in the state Department of Labor, which ended in March 2023.
Citing an unknown source, Politico reported that Sun had been fired from her Department of Labor job in March of 2023 due to evidence of misconduct. This evidence was reported to law enforcement, according to multiple publications.
“This individual was hired by the Executive Chamber more than a decade ago,” Press Secretary Avi Small said. “We terminated her employment in March 2023 after discovering evidence of misconduct, immediately reported her actions to law enforcement and have assisted law enforcement throughout this process.”
Sun is due back in court on April 23.
