• Linda Sun accused of acting as unregistered Chinese agent while serving governors
• Prosecutors allege millions in kickbacks laundered through luxury property and vehicles
• Trial begins Wednesday on charges including money laundering and visa fraud

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (TDR) — A former high-ranking aide to New York Governors Andrew Cuomo and Kathy Hochul goes on trial Wednesday on charges she acted as an undisclosed agent for the Chinese government while helping her husband launder millions of dollars in kickbacks.

Linda Sun, 41, and her husband Christopher Hu, 40, face multiple federal charges including violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, money laundering conspiracy, visa fraud and bribery. Both have pleaded not guilty and deny any wrongdoing.

Allegations of covert Chinese influence

Prosecutors allege Sun used her 15-year career in New York state government to covertly advance the interests of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party. According to the indictment, Sun blocked Taiwanese government representatives from accessing state officials, altered messaging on issues important to China, and prevented references to detained Uyghurs from appearing in a Lunar New Year message.

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In a January 2019 email to a Chinese government official, Sun allegedly wrote she had “managed to stop all relationships” between Taiwan’s economic and cultural offices and New York state. The Chinese official replied, “I know and do appreciate your help,” calling Sun “the most important hub” connecting them with state leadership, according to the 65-page indictment.

Sun held numerous positions including deputy chief of staff to Hochul and deputy diversity officer under Cuomo. Neither governor has been accused of wrongdoing. When asked about Sun during congressional testimony, Cuomo said she was “a junior member” he wouldn’t recognize today.

COVID-19 mask kickback scheme

Prosecutors also allege Sun and Hu exploited her role on Cuomo’s team procuring personal protective equipment during the pandemic. Sun allegedly connected New York with vendors the Chinese government recommended, without disclosing her husband’s financial relationships with the companies.

The state signed contracts with two vendors in March 2020, ultimately paying them more than $44 million. A cousin working for one company allegedly funneled approximately $2.3 million back to Hu, according to the indictment. Sun’s defense attorneys argue prosecutors have not clearly identified what Sun did wrong and claim the indictment “strings together events separated by years in service of a strained causal narrative.”

Luxury lifestyle funded by alleged scheme

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In exchange for her alleged services, Sun received substantial benefits from Chinese government representatives. These included millions of dollars in transactions for Hu’s China-based business activities, travel benefits, event tickets to Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, employment for her cousin in China, and Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by a Chinese official’s personal chef and delivered to her parents’ home.

Prosecutors allege the couple laundered their proceeds through the purchase of a $4 million home in Manhasset, New York, a $2.1 million ocean-view condominium in Honolulu, and luxury vehicles including a 2024 Ferrari Roma. Federal agents arrested the couple at their Long Island residence in September 2024 and seized their properties, vehicles and $210,000 in cash.

Hochul’s office said Sun was fired in March 2023 after “discovering evidence of misconduct” and immediately reported her actions to law enforcement. Sun’s lawyers maintain she advocated for positions consistent with U.S. foreign policy toward China, which recognizes China while maintaining unofficial relations with Taiwan.

The case represents one of dozens brought by federal prosecutors in recent years targeting alleged covert Chinese government influence operations within the United States.

Can state governments effectively screen employees for foreign influence without compromising civil liberties, or does this case reveal systemic vulnerabilities in how officials are vetted?

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