A former governor’s aide has been accused of persuading the Chinese government to funnel millions to her husband’s seafood business. This aide, Linda Sun, was reportedly seen with a red phone case labeled “Get Rich, Good Luck,” as shared by federal authorities.
Prosecutor Alexander Solomon presented photos in Brooklyn federal court, highlighting Sun’s whimsical phone case, a piece of evidence collected during an FBI raid in 2024 at a Long Island home.
Sun is alleged to have exploited her roles under Governor Cathy Hochul and previous Governor Andrew Cuomo to advocate for Chinese interests without registering as an agent in Beijing. She and her husband are said to have acquired a luxury home in Hawaii and a white Ferrari as part of their dealings.
Throughout her decade-long tenure in New York’s Capitol, evidence suggested Sun frequently boasted to the Chinese consulate about her efforts to benefit China.
One notable incident mentioned in court included her obstructing a meeting between Mr. Cuomo and Taiwan’s president in 2019. Additionally, she allegedly took steps to omit mentions of Uighurs, an ethnic group repressed by Chinese authorities, from official governor statements.
Further evidence revealed that Sun clandestinely involved Lihua “Helen” Li, a representative from the Chinese consulate, in government conference calls about the pandemic response.
In a conversation from 2021, Sun remarked that Hochul seemed “much more submissive” compared to Cuomo after having Hochul create a Lunar New Year video that disparaged a prominent figure in China.
Prosecutors contend that her husband, Chris Hu, received significant payments from the Chinese government in exchange for advantages, helping transform a struggling seafood venture in Queens into a lucrative operation. This led the couple to purchase a $3.6 million mansion and other luxury items.
Mr. Sun also enjoyed various perks, such as complimentary ballet tickets and specially prepared salted duck, a dish from Nanjing, courtesy of a former head of the Chinese consulate.
In a light-hearted text to Ping, Sun asked for salted duck and joked that Ping should receive a China-US Friendship Award, even adding an emoji to express her delight in the dish.
Both Sun and Hu are facing visa fraud accusations for allegedly receiving kickbacks in a personal protective equipment (PPE) contract and for allegedly forging Hochul’s signature on a letter to a senior Chinese official.
“We’ve observed a distinct pattern of corruption,” Solomon asserted during his closing remarks to jurors.
He added, “Linda Sun betrayed the state of New York to fill her own pockets,” while Sun took notes quietly in court, wearing a gray sweater.
Once promoted to deputy chief of staff during her time in Albany, Sun was expelled from state service in 2023 after an internal probe uncovered that she had issued false proclamations on behalf of her father and uncle.
A witness during the proceedings noted feeling “sweating and nervous” while being recorded in an interview when asked, “Is there a problem?”
Both Sun and Hu maintain their innocence, with their legal team scheduled to present closing arguments to the jury soon.
