US prosecutors have launched three separate lawsuits against Chinese citizens in the US, accusing them of obstructing justice in the country. Chief Prosecutor Merrick Garland said this at a press conference on Monday announced. In total, thirteen people have been charged, two of whom have been arrested. These would include members of the Chinese security and intelligence apparatus.
Two men, Cuochun He and Zheng Wang, are accused of attempting to obtain confidential information from a US government employee about the lawsuits against a Chinese technology group. According to news agencies Reuters and AP, it concerns Huawei. The suspects would have wanted, among other things, information about witnesses, evidence and possible new charges. One of the men allegedly paid $61,000 for the information, according to the Justice Department, which issued arrest warrants for the pair.
Chinese telecom company Huawei has been in the dock in the US since 2018, including for evading sanctions against Iran and bank fraud. In early 2020, Huawei was also charged with theft of trade secrets from six US companies and extortion.
Academic institute as a cover
In a second case, four Chinese nationals are accused of using an academic institution as a cover in an attempt to steal sensitive technology. In the third case, operation Fox Hunttwo people were arrested and five others charged for intimidating a person who wanted to return to China from the US.
During the press conference, which also included FBI Director Christopher Wray, harsh words were spoken about the alleged Chinese interference. According to Wray, the Chinese state is “trying to silence anyone who is fighting back against their theft: corporations, politicians, individuals.”
A version of this article also appeared in the newspaper of October 25, 2022