Quanzhong An has been sentenced to 20 months in prison by United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto in Brooklyn for acting as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). An was involved in a scheme to coerce the repatriation of a U.S. resident to China as part of "Operation Fox Hunt," an international effort by the PRC. Alongside his prison term, An is required to pay approximately $5 million, including $1.3 million in restitution to the victim and a $50,000 fine.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, stated that An acted under PRC government direction to harass individuals on U.S. soil as part of a scheme aimed at forcing their return to China. He emphasized the collective efforts that led to the failure of this scheme and highlighted ongoing efforts to protect U.S. national security interests from transnational repression schemes.
FBI Acting Assistant Director Leslie R. Backschies noted that An's actions over several years included threats and harassment intended to force a U.S. resident back to China. The FBI remains committed to protecting victims of such transnational repression.
An's activities began in 2017 when he attempted contact with the family of the targeted U.S. resident, using intimidation tactics on behalf of the PRC government until his arrest in 2022. Additionally, An engaged in bank fraud and money laundering schemes involving millions transferred from China into U.S.-based accounts.
The FBI encourages victims of foreign government intimidation or assault within the United States to report these incidents through their website dedicated to counterintelligence and transnational repression.
The case is managed by the National Security and Cybercrime Section with several Assistant United States Attorneys handling various aspects including prosecution, asset recovery, and financial litigation.
