A former top aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo is accused of living a life of luxury — on China’s dime. Federal prosecutors say Linda Sun, 41, worked for years as an undeclared agent of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), using her taxpayer-funded role to quietly push Beijing’s agenda inside one of America’s most powerful state governments.
Prosecutors allege that Sun, who earned a $145,000 government salary, pocketed millions in kickbacks from Chinese officials. Along with her husband, Chris Hu, 42, she allegedly laundered those funds through shell businesses to buy a $3.6 million Long Island mansion, a $1.9 million Hawaii condo, and a 2024 Ferrari Roma worth nearly a quarter-million dollars. The couple also reportedly pocketed $2.3 million in PPE import kickbacks during the pandemic — all while Sun held positions of public trust.
According to court documents, Sun maintained regular contact with CCP insiders and even attended official celebrations in Beijing, including the Party’s 70th anniversary. Prosecutors claimed she dined at private events hosted by Chinese consulate chefs and secretly funneled money through her husband’s export businesses. The funds allegedly totaled more than $15.8 million — money that ultimately fueled her lavish lifestyle far beyond the means of a public servant.
Sun’s long political climb began under Andrew Cuomo’s administration in 2012, where she served as Global New York Trade Manager and later as “chief diversity officer.” By 2021, Gov. Hochul had elevated her to deputy chief of staff — a powerful gatekeeping role within the governor’s office. That trust ended abruptly when Hochul’s team discovered “evidence of misconduct,” leading to Sun’s firing after just 15 months. Even then, she managed to secure another senior government job as deputy commissioner at the New York Department of Labor — until that role also ended in alleged scandal.
“The matter was forwarded to law enforcement at the time,” a source told the Associated Press, declining to disclose further details.
Sun and Hu have both pleaded not guilty to a slate of serious federal charges, including violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering. Sun’s attorneys argue she had no reason to register as a foreign agent, claiming her work “aligned with [U.S.] national objective [that] cannot credibly be characterized as advancing ‘predominantly a foreign interest.’”
But prosecutors say the evidence tells a different story. They accuse Sun of using her influence to block representatives from Taiwan from meeting with New York officials, altering public messaging on China-related issues, and secretly granting a Chinese diplomat access to a state conference call. They even allege she accepted free tickets to Chinese cultural performances — small perks that paint a picture of long-standing CCP grooming and favor-trading.
For conservatives, this case highlights what’s long been ignored in blue-state politics: the quiet, growing influence of Beijing’s operatives in America’s institutions. From university campuses to corporate boardrooms to state capitals like Albany, the CCP’s reach often hides in plain sight — especially where accountability is weakest.
While the trial is still underway, the accusations against Sun underscore a larger issue that Washington and many Democrat-led states have been reluctant to confront: foreign interference doesn’t always come in the form of espionage — sometimes, it wears a government badge and collects a taxpayer-funded paycheck.
Spy and infiltrator! Treason against the US, hanging is too good!