California Woman Accused of Spying for China Remains in Jail Pending Trial
A California woman accused of acting as a Chinese spy will remain in jail while awaiting her trial after a judge ruled that she poses a flight risk. Wanying Zhang, 34, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport before she could board a flight to China. Federal prosecutors allege that Zhang was involved in spying on the son of Taiwan’s president at the request of Chinese officials.
During a court hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Steve Kim sided with the prosecution, which argued that Zhang had not registered as a foreign agent as required by law. Zhang, who lives in Irvine with her husband and two young daughters, was represented by defense attorney Craig Harbaugh. He contended that she would not flee due to her strong family connections in Southern California.
Harbaugh challenged the government's assertion that Zhang had been a sleeper agent for a decade, suggesting that her life as a real estate agent and mother contradicted the claim. Zhang's family offered to secure her release by putting up their home equity, valued at $700,000, along with bonds totaling $120,000.
However, prosecutors countered that Zhang had significant financial resources in China, including investments and contacts that could facilitate her escape. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Elbogen described her as a deceptive foreign agent capable of evading capture.
Zhang's Connections to Chinese Intelligence
Investigations revealed that Zhang attended China’s University of International Relations, which is linked to China's intelligence services. She allegedly communicated with a former classmate, now believed to be a Chinese official, to arrange surveillance of the Taiwanese official's son. The complaint states that she collected photos and other information about him to send to her handler.
Final Assessment
Zhang's court appearance was marked by tension, with disputes over her financial ties to the U.S. and her honesty regarding property ownership. Prosecutors highlighted discrepancies in her disclosures to pretrial services, suggesting she misled authorities about her assets.
Zhang is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing on October 19, unless federal prosecutors indict her before that date.
