He's accused of running a Chinese spy outpost. His lawyer says it was a place to play ping-pong
Prosecutors say the site helped China monitor dissidents, while Lu’s lawyers call it a community center that offered license renewals and social activities.
- Lu Jianwang went on trial Wednesday in Brooklyn federal court, facing charges he conspired to act as an unregistered foreign agent by operating a secret police outpost in Manhattan.
- The FBI raided the Manhattan site on October 3, 2022, seizing computers and paperwork, though defense lawyer John Carman contends the site was merely a community center for Fujianese residents.
- Prosecutor Lindsey Oken argued Lu violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act by working for China without disclosure, stating the government uses such outposts to monitor people it "views as enemies of its interests."
- Carman countered that Lu is "not a spy," noting co-defendant Chen Jinping previously pleaded guilty in December 2024, while Lu sat alongside former NYPD officer Baimadajie Angwang.
- Prosecutors allege the outpost harassed pro-democracy dissidents, with Oken identifying a targeted individual expected to testify, while Lu allegedly admitted to FBI agents he deleted WeChat messages with his Chinese handler.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Was it a secret Chinese spy headquarters or a ping-pong parlor? New York Chinatown case goes to trial
The plain, glass-clad building stands six stories between a hotel, a spa and a coffee shop in the heart of Manhattan’s Chinatown neighborhood. U.S. prosecutors say it was a secret Chinese spy outpost, with orders from Beijing to silence, harass and intimidate pro-democracy dissidents in the U.S., and a banner inside that said: “Fuzhou Police Overseas Service Station, New York USA.” Lawyers for the man accused of running it, Lu Jianwang, contend …
Man Accused of Running Chinese Police Station in NYC Admits Working for CCP, Prosecutors Say
NEW YORK CITY—A Chinese American accused of operating an overseas Chinese police station in New York City admitted in FBI interviews that he opened the station, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Oken said May 6. The defendant, Lu Jianwang, also acknowledged his link to Chinese state security, Oken said in opening statements at his trial. Lu, 64, is an American citizen who is also known as Harry Lu. He is the former head of the America ChangLe Asso…
The Toronto Star
He’s accused of running a Chinese spy outpost. His lawyer says it was a place to play ping-pong
NEW YORK (AP) — The plain, glass-clad building stands six stories between a hotel, a spa and a coffee shop in the heart of Manhattan’s Chinatown neighborhood.
Associated Press News
He's accused of running a Chinese spy outpost. His lawyer says it was a place to play ping-pong
U.S. prosecutors say a plain glass-clad building in Manhattan's Chinatown neighborhood was a secret Chinese spy outpost, with orders to silence, harass and intimidate pro-democracy dissidents in the U.S.
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