The US Justice Department accuses the men of providing bribes to a US official they thought they had recruited as a spy, but who was a double agent working for the FBI.
Two men suspected of being Chinese intelligence operatives have been charged with obstructing the US criminal investigation and prosecution of Huawei, a Chinese electronics company.
The US Justice Department has accused Chinese nationals Guochun He and Zheng Wang of giving bribes to a US official they believed they had recruited as a spy, but who was a double agent working for the FBI.
The individuals are accused of attempting to convince the official to divulge private information regarding the department’s investigation, including information about witnesses, trial evidence, and possible new charges.
According to the department of justice, one of the accused paid approximately $61,000 (£54,000) for the information.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a news conference, “The Justice Department will not tolerate attempts by any foreign force to undermine the rule of law upon which our democracy is based.
The department noted that arrest warrants had been filed for the couple, but it is unclear whether they will ever be apprehended.
Long has Washington accused Beijing of interfering in US political affairs and stealing secrets and intellectual property.
In the past week, 11 additional Chinese people have been arrested or charged with crimes, such as pressuring Americans to return to China, as part of what Beijing has dubbed “Operation Fox Hunt.”
Huawei is not specifically mentioned, but references are evident
At some point last year, the unnamed individual allegedly provided the defendants with a paper containing information regarding a supposed plan to charge and arrest Huawei executives in the United States.
However, the document was drafted by the government for the prosecution that was unsealed on Monday, and it contained inaccurate information.
Huawei was accused in 2019 of bank fraud and again the following year with additional counts of racketeering conspiracy and a scheme to steal trade secrets, despite the business not being mentioned in the charging paperwork.
Huawei has previously referred to the federal inquiry as “pure and straightforward political persecution.”
In a statement released in 2020, the business stated, “Attacking Huawei would not help the United States stay ahead of the competition.”
