Chinese Divorcée Charged with Blackmailing Billionaire Released on Bail

A Chinese-born divorcée has been charged with blackmailing Wesley Edens, the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks and a Wall Street billionaire. Court documents reveal that she was released on bail by foreign agents from China and has deep connections to the country.

Zhangli “Sophia” Luo, 46, faces four counts related to an alleged extortion scheme following an encounter with the 64-year-old Edens. Her bail of $500,000 was posted by Robin Mui, who heads a pro-China newspaper in the U.S.

Mui reportedly gathered $100,000 in cash to facilitate her release while she was under house arrest.

Mui is a registered foreign agent managing Shintao US, a part of a Chinese media outlet located in New York.

Campaign finance records indicate that he also contributed to the campaign of Eileen Wang, a Southern California mayor now facing scrutiny due to her connections to China.

Luo, who operates a nonprofit called One World Initiative Advocacy in New York, allegedly slid into Edens’ LinkedIn messages, struck up a conversation, and then threatened to release compromising footage of him, according to federal prosecutors.

She has pleaded not guilty.

Upon arriving at his Lux Park Avenue residence, where she was placed under house arrest, Luo declined to engage with reporters, simply stating, “No, please leave.”

Reportedly, at one point during the interactions, she demanded a staggering $1.2 billion, which is half of Edens’ net worth, estimated at $2.5 billion.

Following her arrest, prosecutors highlighted her potential flight risk given her strong ties to China.

Documents show she recently moved large sums of money to Chinese accounts, including most of the $1 million Edens had given her as part of a payoff agreement, which she later backed out of.

Her assets in China reportedly surpass those in the United States, and authorities noted that other family members live in China as well.

Luo was apprehended after booking a flight from JFK to Hong Kong.

Her attorneys argue she is not a flight risk and emphasize she is not a Chinese citizen, having surrendered her U.S. passport. Luo asserts her travel was solely to visit her sick father.

The court mandated home detention with GPS monitoring and a significant bond amount.

Mui is known as a prominent pro-China figure and registered Shintao News as a foreign agent in Hong Kong in 2021 upon request from the U.S. Justice Department.

Shintao’s U.S. branch has received substantial funding from its parent organization in Hong Kong, which is now fully under Chinese Communist Party control.

Mui has denied functioning as a foreign agency, maintaining that his organization acts as a legitimate news source for the Chinese expatriate community.

Records also reveal Mui’s company donated to a California mayor who subsequently confessed to being a Chinese operative.

Irene Wang, 58, resigned from her position as Arcadia’s mayor after pleading guilty to acting as an agent for China.

Wang had received a campaign donation from the Los Angeles branch of Mui’s organization in 2022, though Mui claimed there was an error regarding contributions.

Wang is under investigation for illegal operations as an agent for China, which could lead to a lengthy prison term if convicted.

Mui has broadcasted controversy previously, notably regarding meetings with aides of former New York Mayor Eric Adams soon after he registered as an agent of the Chinese government.

While his disclosure of these meetings is under scrutiny, Mui insists it is part of his responsibilities.

Experts from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies have voiced concerns about the implications of Mui’s involvement in the recent events, suggesting it could indicate a broader strategy by China to exert influence within the United States.

Emily de la Bruyère, a senior fellow at the FDD, described a network of Chinese-language news outlets and nonprofits in the U.S. that could potentially promote Chinese interests, emphasizing the intertwined nature of funding and influence.

Mui did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Attempts to reach Mui at his Manhattan office were also unsuccessful.