A Chinese-American scholar was convicted in a Brooklyn court Tuesday after his work on behalf of Beijing as an illegal agent was discovered.
Shujun Wang, an activist who founded a pro-democracy group in New York, used his position to spy on dissidents and share information with the Chinese government for over a decade.
Wang lived a double life on behalf of the Ministry of State Security in Beijing, according to prosecutors. By presenting himself as a pro-democracy and anti-Chinese government activist, he could earn the trust of those who truly hold those views and then transmit their information.
Chinese-American academic Wang Shujun speaks to the press after being convicted in Brooklyn federal court on charges of acting as an illegal agent of China’s government, in New York, U.S., August 6, 2024. (REUTERS/Luc Cohen)
The verdict was decided by a federal jury Tuesday, who found Wang guilty of being an illegal agent.
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“The indictment could have been the plot of a spy novel, but the evidence is shockingly real that the defendant was a secret agent for the Chinese government,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said in a statement to the Associated Press.
The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) performs a flag-raising ceremony at Bayi Square to celebrate the 97th anniversary on China’s Army Day on August 1, 2024, in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province of China. (Ma Yue/VCG via Getty Images)
Shujun Wang pleaded not guilty. Wang’s legal team argued that his transmissions may not have been at the control of Chinese officials.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.