A New York man has been convicted of running what authorities described as a secret Chinese police station in Manhattan's Chinatown neighborhood. Lu Jianwang, 64, was found guilty on charges of acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government and obstruction of justice for destroying evidence related to the operation.
Key Takeaways
Lu Jianwang was convicted of running an alleged Chinese police station in NYC's Chinatown. He faces up to 30 years in prison.
- Lu Jianwang found guilty of acting as an unregistered agent of China
- Station operated for several months before being shut down by the FBI
- China denies allegations, calling stations 'service centers'
- Co-defendant Chen Jinping pleaded guilty to related charges
The jury trial, which lasted one week, revealed that Lu opened and operated the station in early 2022 at the behest of China's Ministry of Public Security. Prosecutors argued that Lu should have registered as a foreign agent when he helped establish the outpost. The station was shut down after an FBI investigation in late 2022.
Prosecutors also accused Lu of helping Chinese authorities locate a pro-democracy activist living in California, though they did not allege any harm came to the activist. Lu's defense argued that he merely intended to help Chinese nationals renew documents during the COVID-19 pandemic and was not tasked by the Chinese government.
The conviction comes amid heightened scrutiny of China's alleged transnational repression efforts. Rights groups have reported at least 100 such stations operating in 53 countries, with claims that they are used to monitor and threaten Chinese nationals abroad. China has denied these allegations, maintaining that the outposts provide administrative services.
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