Federal prosecutors said Tuesday that former top officials for Gov. Kathy Hauckle and Gov. Andrew Cuomo who are accused of working as agents for China received lavish gifts and compensation for their secret double lives.
According to a newly unsealed indictment in Brooklyn federal court, Linda Sun, 41, and her husband, Christopher Fu, 40, are charged with violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act and conspiracy, visa fraud, alien smuggling and money laundering conspiracy.
Federal investigators allege that in return for promoting Beijing’s policies in New York, Sun and Hu received millions of dollars in corrupt bribes and laundered the money to buy a $4.1 million Manhattan mansion, a $2 million luxury condominium in Honolulu and a fleet of luxury vehicles, including a 2024 Ferrari Roma.
But the Chinese government’s courting of the matter did not end there. According to the indictment, the Chinese authorities sent the following gifts to Sun and his family as a token of their gratitude:
Nanjing-style salted duck
According to the indictment, a personal chef for “People’s Liberation Army Official No. 1” (Huang Ping, believed to be China’s consul general in New York) prepared the Nanjing-style salt duck and delivered it to Sun’s parents’ home.
Federal investigators allege Sun and his family received six salted ducks from the chef on or about July 28, 2021, and six more in November of the same year.
They obtained more duck dishes around March 15, 2022, and then again in November of that year, according to court documents.
In addition, a senior Chinese consulate official hosted Sun and his family for dinner at his home.
Selected concert tickets, travel
According to the indictment, Sun, his family and Hu obtained select concert tickets, including to a December 2015 concert by the China National Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.
They also received six tickets to a Guangzhou Ballet performance at Lincoln Center on Aug. 17, 2019, according to court documents.
The federal government also said Chinese authorities presented Sun with six tickets with access to a VIP suite to a sporting event scheduled for August 2022.
Other perks included subsidized travel to China, including a suite in the presidential hotel used by First Lady Michelle Obama during her stay in Beijing, and a job for Sun’s cousin.
Huge homes and luxury cars
The indictment said Hu’s China business also benefited from Son’s political dual ties, ultimately generating millions of dollars that he diverted to the United States as part of the money laundering scheme.
Meanwhile, a Queens-based seafood company and wine store officially made little profit, the documents state.
Despite having a modest income on paper, Hu and Son purchased a mansion on Long Island, an ocean-view condo in Hawaii, a 2024 Ferrari Roma, a 2024 Range Rover L460 and a 2022 Mercedes GLB250W4, according to the documents.
Prosecutors are moving to seize approximately $210,000 in cash and money in various accounts, as well as real estate and vehicles.