Federal prosecutors have accused two individuals of attempting to bribe a public official with thousands of dollars to “topple” the persecuted religious organization Falun Gong on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
John Chen, a Chinese-American who is now 70 years old, and Lin Feng, a Chinese-born American who is now 43, were detained at their homes in the early hours of May 26. Conspiracy, bribery, and money laundering are among the allegations.
This is the first time the U.S. government has taken legal action against the Chinese government for its persecution of Falun Gong in this country. As directed by the Chinese government, Chen and Lin ran a bribery operation to “topple” Falun Gong.
A whistleblower complaint they filed with the IRS was dismissed. They met with a covert operative who offered them $50,000 to audit the Falun Gong-related organization. Chen cautioned a contact to avoid leaving a paper trail. Chen, the informant, requested Lin to travel to New York and hand over the bribe cash.
Chen restated that he and his partner were representing Beijing in this scheme and said he would return to China in June, with payment to the agent to be sent in three equal amounts in July, August, and September.
On May 18, at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Lin bribed the undercover agent with another $4,000. The case specifics illustrate how the CCP continues to use transnational repression to pursue Falun Gong practitioners worldwide. The United States government has targeted the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) operatives in the United States due to allegations of conspiracy, bribery, and money laundering—the U.S.
FBI Director Christopher Wray, Los Angeles Assistant Director in Charge Donald Alway, and Attorney General Merrick Garland have all spoken out in favor of the arrests. Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office Donald Alway has demanded accountability for Chinese government agents involved in global tyranny.
