A 34-year-old female real estate agent from Irvine was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for allegedly conducting surveillance on the family of Taiwan’s president under the direction of the Chinese government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) stated that Wanying Zhang (34, English name Heather) was apprehended at LAX on the 4th while attempting to board a flight to Shanghai, China. She is accused of operating as an agent of a foreign government without registering.
According to the FBI, Zhang surveilled Lai Ting-yu, the son of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, and his family in Seattle, Washington, last September. Although the indictment did not disclose the identities of the surveillance targets, the FBI’s Rapid Response Team confirmed via X on the 4th that the target was the president’s son.
Lai Ting-yu reportedly earned a Ph.D. in bioengineering from the University of Washington and currently works as an engineer at Philips.
Zhang is accused of photographing and recording videos of Lai Ting-yu and his family, as well as collecting license plate information and passing it on to Chinese handlers. Law enforcement authorities also secured security camera footage from near Lai Ting-yu’s residence, which reportedly shows Zhang and her companions filming the family from inside a vehicle.
Authorities believe Zhang began preparing for the surveillance months in advance. In June of last year, she was introduced to a Chinese government official through a classmate from Beijing International Relations University, who is reportedly linked to China’s Ministry of State Security.
Investigations revealed that she met this official in Changsha, China, later that month to receive her surveillance assignment, subsequently sending a message implying that she could “handle it.”
Zhang, a U.S. citizen, has been working as a real estate agent for JC Pacific in Irvine, operating throughout Southern California.
The Taiwanese Presidential Office condemned the incident as “classic transnational repression,” strongly criticizing threats targeting individuals and families who support freedom and democracy.
Meanwhile, in May, former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang admitted to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government and resigned from her position. Wang was accused of engaging in activities such as sharing articles favorable to Beijing at the request of Chinese authorities without registering as a foreign agent.
