A former prime aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was arrested Tuesday on federal felony costs accusing her of performing as an undisclosed agent of China and the Chinese language Communist Celebration, and of laundering tens of millions of {dollars} for China.
Linda Solar, who had been deputy chief of workers to Hochul for a yr along with holding different state authorities positions, is charged with violating and conspiring to violate the Overseas Brokers Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and cash laundering conspiracy.
Solar’s husband, 40-year-old businessman Chris Hu, additionally was arrested on costs of cash laundering conspiracy, in addition to conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and misuse of technique of identification.
The couple, who had been arrested by FBI brokers at their residence on Lengthy Island, are scheduled to seem Tuesday afternoon in U.S. District Court docket in Brooklyn, New York.
Prosecutors say the couple laundered the proceeds of their alleged scheme to purchase a $4.1 million residence in Manhasset, Lengthy Island, a $2.1 million condominium in Honolulu and luxurious cars that embody at 2024 Ferrari.
An indictment unsealed Tuesday alleges that the 41-year-old Solar, whereas working within the governor’s workplace underneath Hochul and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and in a number of state businesses, additionally acted as an undisclosed agent for the Individuals’s Republic of China, the place she was born.
On or about February 14, 2023, Linda Solar submitted to a voluntary interview with the NYS Workplace of the Inspector Normal. In the course of the interview, Solar claimed to attend Asian neighborhood occasions in her private capability and never in her new capability on the Division of Labor.
Courtesy: United States District Court docket E.D.N.Y.
The indictment says that whereas “acting at the request of PRC government officials and the [Communist Party of China] representative, Sun engaged in numerous political activities in the interests of the PRC and the CCP.”
These actions included “blocking representatives of the Taiwanese government from having access to” the New York governor’s workplace, altering Hochul’s and one other politician’s messaging concerning points essential to China and the CCP, acquiring official proclamations from the governor for PRC representatives, and making an attempt to facilitate a visit by Hochul to China, the indictment alleges.
She additionally allegedly organized “for meetings for visiting delegations from the PRC government with New York State government officials.”
Prosecutors mentioned that in return for these and different actions, Solar “received substantial economic and other benefits” from the Chinese language authorities and the Communist Celebration.
These included “the facilitation of millions of dollars in transactions for the PRC-based business activities of Hu,” the press launch mentioned.
This an aerial view of the Saxony Court docket, residence in Manhasset, New York belonging to Chris Hu and Linda Solar, July 24, 2024. Solar is the previous deputy chief of workers for New York State governor Kathy Hochul. The FBI searched the house on July 23, 2024.
J. Conrad Williams Jr. | Newsday | Getty Photographs
Solar additionally acquired tickets to occasions, “promotion of a close family friend’s business; employment for Sun’s cousin in the PRC; and Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by a PRC government official’s personal chef that were delivered to the residence of Sun’s parents,” the discharge mentioned.
Legal professionals for Solar and Hu didn’t instantly reply to requests for touch upon the indictment.
Hochul’s press secretary, Avi Small, in an announcement to WNBC Information 4 about Solar mentioned, “This individual was hired by the Executive Chamber more than a decade ago.”
“We terminated her employment in March 2023 after discovering evidence of misconduct, immediately reported her actions to law enforcement and have assisted law enforcement throughout this process,” Small mentioned.
Solar was working for the state Labor Division on the time she was fired.
In accordance with the indictment, Solar held a collection of positions inside New York state authorities from 2012 till 2023, together with deputy chief of workers to Hochul for a yr, starting in September 2021.
