A former senior aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and her husband were arrested Tuesday at their Long Island mansion and charged with selling access to the Chinese government.
Linda Sun, 40, who served under Hochul and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was charged with 10 criminal counts that include money laundering, visa fraud and other actions that benefited the People's Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party, including blocking Taiwanese officials from gaining access to the governor's office.
The federal indictment claims Sun and husband Chris Hu, 41, received economic benefits in exchange for favors to the Chinese government. The two were arrested at their $3.6 million Long Island mansion. Like Sun, Hu was arrested for money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and misuse of means of identification.
The two were awaiting arraignment while information from the 65-page indictment was released. It charges that Sun intervened to prevent representatives from Taiwan from meeting with state officials. She allegedly produced unauthorized letters of invitation to Chinese officials to make it easier for them to travel to the United States.
The indictment claims the two received millions of dollars and other benefits from China-based businesses connected Hu. Sun also secured employment for her cousin in China, and her parents were treated to a Chinese feast prepared by a Chinese consulate official's personal chef and delivered to their home in China.
But the benefits for Sun and Hu were much larger than salted duck. The indictment claims that the two laundered money to purchase their $3.6 million mansion in Manhasset, their $1.9 million condo in Hawaii, and several luxury automobiles, including a 2024 Ferrari.
Sun lost her job in March 2023 after some of her actions came to light. Hochul's press secretary, Avi Small, said at the time that the administration "terminated her employment ... after discovering evidence of misconduct" and "immediately reported her actions to law enforcement and have assisted law enforcement throughout this process."
