US Department of Justice Indicts Chinese Spy for Obstructing Huawei Investigation

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland
[Photo by Reuters]

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] Two employees of Chinese intelligence agencies have been indicted on charges of bribery to obstruct the U.S. investigation into Huawei and to extract various confidential information.

According to Bloomberg News and others, the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed through an indictment released on the 24th (local time) that Chinese nationals Heo Geochun and Wang Jeong acted as spies and obstructed investigative activities.

Merrick Garland, U.S. Attorney General, stated at a press conference that day, "The Chinese government interfered with the rights and freedoms of individuals within the United States and sought to undermine the judicial system that protects these rights," adding, "They did not succeed." He emphasized, "The Department of Justice will not tolerate any foreign attempts to undermine the rule of law, which is the foundation of democracy."

Heo Geochun and Wang Jeong were found to have attempted to secure confidential information related to the Huawei investigation?including witnesses, evidence, trial information, and potential additional charges?by giving various bribes, including Bitcoin, to U.S. officials they had previously recruited.

The indictment refers to the company only as a telecommunications firm headquartered in China, instead of naming Huawei directly. However, sources familiar with the matter confirmed that the indictment is related to Huawei. Local media also reported that the U.S. officials approached by the Chinese spies were in fact double agents for the U.S. government.

Huawei has not issued a separate official statement regarding this matter.

Separately, U.S. prosecutors have indicted multiple Chinese nationals in two other cases. In the New Jersey federal court, four individuals were charged with conspiracy to act as illegal agents of foreign intelligence. Additionally, the Department of Justice confirmed that seven Chinese nationals were included in the indictment list of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York in connection with China’s "Fox Hunt" operation to forcibly repatriate fugitives residing abroad. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 10 out of the 13 indicted individuals were identified as belonging to Chinese intelligence agencies.