PROVIDED CHINA WITH INFORMATION & PHOTOGRAPHS ABOUT DISSIDENTS
On May 15, 2023, the United States Department of Justice announced that “LL” (63) of Brighton, Massachusetts, was arrested on May 9, 2023, for allegedly acting as an agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) without properly notifying the U.S. government of his activities.
Beginning in 2018, and at least until 2022, LL is said to have provided the PRC, among other things, with information regarding the activities of Boston-area individuals and organizations; organized counter-protests at events organized by pro-democracy dissidents; supplied photographs of, and information about, dissidents to the PRC; and offered the names of potential recruits.
In a statement released by the agency, U.S. Attorney Rachael S. Rollins, for the District of Massachusetts, observed, “The Department of Justice will protect these individual rights and protect our country against those who seek to unlawfully act on behalf of foreign governments while within our borders …. We allege that [LL] engaged in a series of acts on behalf of the PRC government including providing information on Boston-area residents, organizations and dissidents to PRC government officials – potentially placing people at risk here in Massachusetts and abroad. Attempts to repress constitutionally protected rights here in the United States will never be tolerated. Anyone who infringes upon those rights on American soil will be identified and held to account.”
If convicted of "acting as an agent of a foreign government without providing notification to the U.S. Attorney General,” LL faces up to 10 years in prison, three years supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, while the charge of “conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government without providing notification to the U.S. Attorney General” carries a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Think he spied trouble brewing?
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