US Citizen Sentenced to 25 Years for Spying for China

Shujun Wang, a US academician of Chinese descent, has been sentenced to up to 25 years for espionage. Convicted of acting as an agent for China, he infiltrated a pro-democracy group in New York, collecting and sending sensitive information to China's intelligence agency.

Shujun Wang, a US citizen of Chinese descent, has been sentenced to up to 25 years in prison for espionage, according to a press release from the US Office of Public Affairs (OPA). Wang, aged 75, was an academician and author who co-founded a pro-democracy organization in Queens, New York, opposing China's communist regime.

The indictment found Wang guilty on charges of acting and conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the US Attorney General, criminal use of identification, and making false statements to law enforcement. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen highlighted that Wang infiltrated a New York-based advocacy group while covertly collecting and reporting sensitive information to China's intelligence agency.

US Attorney Breon Peace remarked that the case could be akin to a spy novel, noting that Wang lived a double life, pretending to be a democracy activist while passing information to the Chinese government. Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI's National Security Branch reiterated the agency's commitment to countering espionage and bringing those responsible to justice. Reports indicate that Wang used encrypted messaging for communication and maintained detailed email diaries of sensitive information for China's Ministry of State Security.

(With inputs from agencies.)