U.S. Attorney E. Martin Estrada | U.S. Department of Justice
FBI agents have arrested a Chino Hills resident, Yaoning "Mike" Sun, on federal charges alleging he acted as an illegal agent for the People's Republic of China (PRC). The arrest took place without incident, and Sun is expected to appear in United States District Court in Los Angeles.
Sun faces charges of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign power and conspiring with Chen Jun. Chen was sentenced to federal prison last month for similar activities involving the PRC government and targeting U.S.-based practitioners of Falun Gong.
The complaint details that Sun served as campaign manager for a Southern California politician referred to as "Individual 1," who was elected to local office in 2022. During this period, Sun allegedly communicated with Chen about efforts to influence the election outcome. Following Individual 1's election, Chen instructed Sun to report on the event to Chinese officials.
United States Attorney Martin Estrada stated, "The conduct alleged in this complaint is deeply concerning – the defendant is charged with acting on behalf of the People’s Republic of China to influence our political system." He emphasized the importance of preventing foreign interference in U.S. governance.
Akil Davis from the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office commented on the case's significance: "This case highlights the breadth of the PRC’s relentless intelligence and malign influence activities targeting the United States."
In early 2023, Chen directed Sun to draft another report for Chinese officials detailing their efforts supporting Individual 1. The affidavit mentions plans for a "US-China Friendship Promotional Association," with Sun reportedly serving as vice president.
A second report drafted by Sun and Chen requested an $80,000 budget for pro-PRC activities. In August 2023, both traveled to China after discussions about meeting PRC leadership.
Sun faces potential sentences of up to ten years for acting as an illegal agent and five years for conspiracy against the United States. The investigation continues under FBI supervision.
Assistant United States Attorneys David Ryan and Amanda Elbogen are prosecuting this case with assistance from Garrett Coyle at the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
