FBI arrests alleged Chinese agent at LAX after she allegedly surveilled son of Taiwanese president
Federal prosecutors say Zhang photographed the family’s home and vehicles and sent the material to Chinese contacts after a September 2025 trip to Seattle.
- On Sunday, October 4, 2026, the FBI arrested Irvine realtor Wanying "Heather" Zhang at Los Angeles International Airport, charging her with acting as an unregistered agent for the People's Republic of China.
- Prosecutors allege Zhang and an accomplice traveled to Seattle in September 2025 to surveil Lai Ting-yu, the U.S.-based son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, using a rented black Nissan Rogue.
- Zhang allegedly texted "Saw him. It's that young one" via WeChat while recording video, and FBI agents traced her recruitment to a June 2025 meeting with a Chinese official through a Beijing's University of International Relations classmate.
- Taiwan's Presidential Office condemned the surveillance as a "typical case of transnational repression," with spokesperson Karen Kuo stating, "Such behavior should not be tolerated in the civilized world."
- FBI Director Kash Patel warned foreign adversaries that "America is no longer a safe place to run your espionage operations," as the arrest follows cases like former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang's influence operation.
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The FBI arrested Wanying Zhang at Los Angeles Airport as she was arriving to catch a flight to China and is accused of surveilling relatives of Taiwan's president. According to the complaint, she sent photos, videos, and license plate information to Chinese authorities, a move Taiwan has strongly condemned as cross-border repression.
FBI arrests California woman accused of spying on Taiwan leader’s son
LOS ANGELES — The FBI arrested a California real estate agent on Sunday for acting as an unregistered agent of China, accusing her of spying on Taiwan president's family in the United States.The alleged foreign agent, Wanying Zhang, a 34-year-old resident of Irvine, California, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport before she could board a flight to Shanghai, federal officials said.The case comes at a fraught moment for US-China rela…
California woman accused of spying on Taiwanese official’s family for China
A California woman has been arrested on a federal charge of acting as an unregistered agent for China, including allegedly conducting surveillance of a senior Taiwanese official’s family. She was detained at an airport before a planned flight to China. Wanying Zhang, 34, also known as “Heather Zhang,” of Irvine, was arrested Sunday at Los […]
California realtor charged with spying on Taiwan president's family in Seattle
FBI agents arrested a California realtor suspected of spying for China by illegally gathering personal information on a relative of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te and providing it to Beijing, the Justice Department announced Monday.
Alleged unregistered agent of China set to appear in court - The Daily Bo Snerdley
(The Center Square) – An Irvine, Calif. woman accused of operating as an unregistered agent for China was scheduled to appear for arraignment in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles Monday – one day after being arrested by the FBI at Los Angeles International Airport. Wanying Zhang, 34, also known as “Heather Zhang,” was taken into custody by the FBI’s Los Angeles field office on Sunday as she attempted to board a flight bound for China. Fi…
Star Local
Alleged unregistered agent of China set to appear in court
(The Center Square) – An Irvine, Calif. woman accused of operating as an unregistered agent for China was scheduled to appear for arraignment in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles Monday - one day after being arrested by the…
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