Earlier today, Michael McMahon was sentenced to 18 months in prison in federal court in Brooklyn. United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen delivered the sentence, finding McMahon guilty of acting as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), interstate stalking, and conspiracy. These charges are tied to his involvement in a scheme to force a U.S. resident to return to China under "Operation Fox Hunt," China's international repatriation effort. Apart from serving the prison term, McMahon will pay a fine of $11,000.
The case also involved Zhu Yong and Congying Zheng, who, along with McMahon, were convicted by a federal jury in June 2023 following a three-week trial. John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and other law enforcement officials announced these outcomes. "McMahon, a former law enforcement officer who swore an oath to protect the public, went rogue and dishonorably engaged in a scheme at the direction of the People’s Republic of China, terrorized victims living in the New York metropolitan area, and shattered their sense of safety and security," stated U.S. Attorney Durham.
The case highlighted efforts by foreign governments to undermine national security within U.S. borders. "Most private investigators operate within the bounds of the law and ethical conduct. McMahon knew exactly what he was doing—and at trial, we proved his knowing and willing participation in this scheme," stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Reilly. "The PRC needs to understand: we will not tolerate it."
Special Agent in Charge Alfonso added, "This defendant allowed himself to become a partner in the PRC’s cruel harassment and intimidation campaign. HSI, together with our federal counterparts, will continue to outfox our adversaries’ attempts to circumvent U.S. regulations, undermine national security, and target the American public."
Between 2016 and 2019, McMahon and his co-conspirators participated in efforts to coerce John Doe #1 and his family to return to China to face alleged corruption charges. Attempts to conceal addresses and protect family members were made, but McMahon ultimately supplied critical information to Chinese operatives to further their efforts.
Zhu and Zheng were previously sentenced to 24 months and 16 months in prison, respectively. Other co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing, while five fugitives remain at large. The FBI has established a website for reporting foreign government transnational repression activities, providing a resource for individuals threatened by such international campaigns.
Assistance in prosecuting this case was provided by Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith A. Arfa and Irisa Chen, along with Trial Attorneys Christine A. Bonomo and Scott A. Claffee.
