A man who allegedly bribed a top adviser to former New York Mayor Eric Adams with $120,000 has significant connections to the Chinese Communist Party.
Yang Po Zhu, known as Andy Zhu, 51, and Frank Carone, who served as Adams’ chief of staff, were arrested this week alongside three others on charges related to fraud and money laundering.
As per court filings, Zhu reportedly provided Carone with the payment to secure a contract for housing immigrants at a hotel in Queens in 2022. Additionally, he donated $100,000 to the Changle Association of America in 2018 and has longstanding associations with Linda Sun, who is believed to be a Chinese Communist Party agent.
The American Changle Society operates a police station in Chinatown, which was initially intended to monitor dissidents in the U.S. Last month, the group’s chairman, known as “Harry” Lu Jiangwan, was found guilty of serving as a foreign agent for China, linked to operating an illegal police outpost for the Chinese government.
On Thursday, law enforcement was seen taking a firearm from Zhu’s expansive six-bedroom home on Long Island’s North Shore during a raid, marking the second time this week his residence had been targeted. A spokesperson from Brooklyn federal court indicated that Zhu possessed multiple firearms and was required to relinquish them as a term of his pretrial release.
Zhu’s contributions to the Changle Association were significant, representing a large portion of the organization’s $136,000 total donations in 2018. The previous year, Zhu and his father had initially donated $40,000 to the same organization, which they characterized as a social venue for individuals from Fujian, according to Chinese media.
Zhu has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of bribery and fraud and is held on an $8 million bail, notably higher than the $2 million set for Carone, due to concerns over his potential to flee. Authorities labeled him a flight risk, citing his extensive overseas connections to nations that do not extradite to the U.S.
Zhu’s attorney has not commented on the situation. He reportedly engaged in activities alongside Linda Sun, a former aide to New York governors, who faces similar charges regarding foreign agent dealings.
As president of East Times Group, a real estate development firm based in Long Island City, Zhu describes himself on his company website as a versatile professional with over two decades of experience in various business operations. He has made significant donations to both political parties and organizations supporting law enforcement, including over $47,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee this year.
His philanthropic endeavors include substantial contributions to the campaign of Democratic Rep. Grace Meng from Queens. Interestingly, Zhu’s website showcases him with former U.S. presidents like Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, and he reportedly hosted former Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly in his home in October 2021.
Originating from the Changle district in southeastern China, Zhu relocated to the U.S. in 1992. Since then, he has evidently engaged in lucrative development deals, such as selling a site on Delancey Street in 2017 to a Wuhan-based real estate mogul for $29 million, according to reports.
