- A federal jury in New York convicted 64-year-old Lu Jianwang for operating an illegal police station on behalf of China’s Ministry of Public Security
- Prosecutors successfully argued that the Manhattan outpost was used to monitor and harass pro-democracy activists living within the United States
- The defendant faced additional charges for obstruction of justice after he admitted to deleting incriminating text messages following an FBI raid
Lu Jianwang, a 64-year-old resident of New York, has been convicted for his role in operating a clandestine police outpost in Manhattan on behalf of the Chinese government.
A federal jury in New York delivered the verdict following a week-long trial.
Source: Getty Images
According to the BBC, the panel found that Lu worked with China’s Ministry of Public Security to establish the office in the Chinatown neighbourhood in early 2022. This facility is recognised as the first documented secret police station discovered within the United States.
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Secret Chinese police station federal conviction
The legal proceedings revealed that Lu, also known as Harry Lu, acted as an unregistered agent for Beijing and obstructed justice by deleting evidence.
Prosecutors stated that he destroyed digital communications once he became aware of an FBI investigation into the outpost. He now faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.
Federal authorities characterized the station as a tool for political repression. James C. Barnacle Jr., the FBI assistant director in charge, addressed the nature of the operation after the verdict.
“Lu Jianwang used a police station in New York City to target PRC dissidents in furtherance of the Chinese government’s political agenda,” said Barnacle.
The conviction aligns with broader efforts to curb foreign interference on American soil.
His associate in the scheme, Chen Jinping, previously admitted to his involvement. Chen pleaded guilty in late 2024 to conspiracy charges and is currently awaiting his own sentencing.
The Manhattan facility was situated on a floor above a local restaurant before federal agents shut it down in late 2022.
Foreign agent activities and global operations
Global rights organizations have identified over 100 similar installations across more than 50 nations. These groups allege that China utilizes these centers to track and intimidate democratic activists and expatriates.
Beijing has consistently dismissed these claims. Chinese officials maintain that the sites are merely service centers intended to help citizens with administrative tasks like renewing licenses.
This case surfaced during a week of heightened scrutiny regarding Chinese influence operations. Recently, a mayor in California stepped down after facing separate allegations of acting as an illegal agent for the same foreign government.
Lu’s conviction serves as a significant milestone in the crackdown on unauthorized foreign law enforcement activities within the United States.
FG to establish UK university campus in Nigeria
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nigeria’s federal government had moved to establish a local campus of Coventry University as part of a broader plan to widen access to internationally recognised degrees and reduce the financial burden of overseas study for Nigerian families.
The initiative was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday, March 18, by the Federal Ministry of Education, which said the proposal is being pursued through a Transnational Education partnership with the United Kingdom institution.
Source: Legit.ng