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US Accuses California Woman of Spying on Taiwan President’s Son
US authorities arrested Wanying Zhang at an airport in California.
They accuse her of working for a foreign government without telling the US government.
Investigators say she and another person watched Lai Ting-yu and his family near Seattle in 2025.
Lai Ting-yu is the son of Taiwan’s president.
The complaint says Zhang sent pictures, video and car plate numbers to a Chinese government contact.
It also says she used WeChat to send messages.
Zhang has been charged, but the accusations have not been decided in court.
It was not clear from the reports whether she had a lawyer.
The FBI arrested Wanying “Heather” Zhang, 34, at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday before her planned flight to China.
Zhang is charged with acting as an unregistered foreign agent; the allegations have not been proven in court.
A federal complaint alleges Zhang and an accomplice surveilled Lai Ting-yu and his family near Seattle in September 2025.
Prosecutors say Zhang sent a Chinese government handler photos, video and vehicle license plate information.
The complaint alleges Zhang received the assignment during a June 2025 trip to Changsha and communicated with officials through WeChat.
- Who
- Wanying “Heather” Zhang, 34, was arrested; authorities allege she surveilled Lai Ting-yu, son of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te.
- What
- Zhang was charged with acting as an unregistered foreign agent and is accused of conducting surveillance for Chinese officials.
- Where
- Zhang was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport; the alleged surveillance occurred near Seattle, Washington.
- When
- She was arrested on Sunday, October 4, 2026; the alleged Seattle surveillance took place in September 2025.
- Why
- Authorities allege Zhang acted at the direction of Chinese government officials and supplied them with information about Lai Ting-yu and his family.
Key facts
- Defendant
- Wanying “Heather” Zhang, 34, of Irvine, California
- Charge
- Acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government
- Arrest location
- Los Angeles International Airport
- Alleged target
- Lai Ting-yu, son of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te
- Alleged surveillance
- Seattle area, September 2025
- Information allegedly sent
- Photos, video and vehicle license plate numbers
- Alleged communication method
- WeChat messages to a Chinese government handler
Quotes
FBI Special Agent Kevin Holt
FBI counterintelligence squad member who filed the criminal complaint.
“If the PRC [People’s Republic of China] wish to obtain leverage over the President of Taiwan during any potential conflict, the location and pictures of the close relatives of a high-ranking Taiwanese government official, including pictures of their homes and cars, could be useful to the PRC.”
news18.com
Edric Ding
Zhang’s husband and a realtor at the same firm.
“I don’t know anything yet,”
news18.com
Sources
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