Indictment Overview
- A federal grand jury in Brooklyn returned a second superseding indictment against Linda Sun and Chris Hu.
- Charges relate to a fraudulent scheme involving the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) for New York State during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- New charges include:
- Honest services wire fraud
- Honest services wire fraud conspiracy
- Bribery
- Conspiracy to defraud the United States
- Chris Hu also faces a charge of tax evasion.
- Arraignment date is set for June 30, 2025.
Key Announcements
- Joseph Nocella, Jr. , U. S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the new charges.
- Christopher G. Raia from the FBI and Harry T. Chavis, Jr. from the IRS-Criminal Investigation also provided statements regarding the case.
Allegations Against Linda Sun
- Allegedly acted as an unregistered agent for the Chinese government while profiting from PPE contracts in New York.
- Sun abused her position during a vulnerable time for New York State, steering contracts to close associates.
- Alleged kickbacks amounted to millions, enriching Sun and her husband.
Evidence Presented
- Sun is accused of steering contracts to two vendors connected to her and Hu, claiming they were referrals from the Chinese government.
- The Cousin Company, linked to Sun’s family, and the Associate Company, linked to Hu, received multiple contracts.
- Sun falsified documents to create the appearance of legitimacy for these vendors.
- Emails showed Sun manipulated information about the vendors to NYS procurement officials.
Kickbacks and Financial Maneuvering
- Sun and Hu reportedly received approximately $2. 3 million in kickbacks from the Cousin Company.
- Hu is accused of not reporting this income or paying taxes on it.
- Payments were laundered through accounts set up in a relative's name, just before significant payments were made to the Cousin Company.
Associate Company Involvement
- Sun facilitated the Associate Company to obtain NYS government contracts, despite having personal connections.
- A spreadsheet tracking PPE contracts indicated false reasons for choosing the Associate Company, including an unverified referral claim.
Total Expected Profits
- Hu estimated profits from contracts with both the Associate Company and Cousin Company to be over $8 million.
- He marked these profits in a contained document, indicating personal gain.
Existing Charges
- Sun already faced charges including violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering.
- Hu's previous charges include conspiracy to commit bank fraud and money laundering.
- These new charges add to the complexity of an already extensive case.
Presumption of Innocence
- All charges are allegations; Sun and Hu are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Prosecution Team
- The case is handled by the Office's National Security and Cybercrime Section.
- Assistant U. S. Attorneys overseeing the prosecution include:
- Alexander A. Solomon
- Robert M. Pollack
- Amanda Shami
- Additional support comes from Trial Attorney Eli Ross and Litigation Analyst Emma Tavangari.
- Laura Mantell is managing forfeiture matters related to the case.
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