ZCZC
BFF-09
US-CRIME-CHINA-ESPIONAGE
US arrests Chinese national on spying charge
CHICAGO, Sept 26, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – A Chinese national who came to the US
on a student visa was arrested Tuesday in Chicago and accused of helping
Beijing attempt to recruit American scientists and engineers.
Ji Chaoqun was allegedly tasked with providing Chinese intelligence with
biographical information about eight American citizens — some of whom were
US defense contractors.
The 27-year-old, who first arrived in Chicago in 2013 to study electrical
engineering on a student visa, was charged with one count of knowingly acting
as an agent of a foreign government without prior notification to the US
Attorney General.
According to a court affidavit, Ji was working at the direction of a “high-
level intelligence officer” in China’s Ministry of State Security, which
“handles civilian intelligence collection and is responsible for counter-
intelligence and foreign intelligence, as well as political security.”
All eight of the people Ji allegedly researched were naturalized American
citizens who were born in Taiwan or China, according to authorities. The
targets either currently worked or were recently retired from a career in the
science and technology industry.
An affidavit filed in federal court by an FBI investigator specializing in
espionage, claims among the people targeted was an engineer at one of “the
world’s top aircraft engine suppliers for both commercial and military
aircraft.”
After one of Ji’s handlers was arrested, he met with US undercover agents
in April and May, and admitted to his work, which included collecting
background checks, the affidavit said.
He allegedly told the undercover agents: “They just wanted me to purchase
some documents on their behalf. Their reason was just because it was
inconvenient for them to make payments from China.”
Ji also enlisted in the US Army Reserves, according to the US Attorney’s
office, but failed to disclose his foreign contacts to the military.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0822 hrs