Kathy Hochul's ex-aide Linda Sun forged NY Gov's signature for Chinese government, allege prosecutors

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A major political scandal has unfolded involving a former chief aide to New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Lin Sun has been accused of forging her signature on behalf of the Chinese government.

Prosecutors detailed allegations that Sun, who was born in China, infiltrated the highest levels of New York's political echelons while acting as an agent for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Forgery and foreign influence allegations against Linda Sun

Linda Sun is primarily accused of forging New York Governor Kathy Hochul's signature to facilitate a visit from a Chinese Communist Party delegation to New York. According to the indictment, Sun held influential positions in the New York state government and was involved in a covert operation orchestrated by the Chinese consulate in New York.

Prosecutors alleged that Sun arranged for a CCP delegation from Henan Province, China, to meet with Hochul. She is said to have forged Hochul’s signature on official documents to smooth the process.

The indictment outlines that on the evening of March 18, 2018, Sun sat down for dinner event with a Chinese consulate official when she was provided with a list of delegation members and a document titled "Reference of Invitation Letter" that required Hochul's signature.

Subsequently, on March 29 and April 5, 2018, Sun allegedly created and provided two versions of an invitation letter from the governor's office to the consulate official.

The indictment specifically states, "Sun had relied on language from a previously authorized invitation letter for a delegation from Jiangxi Province. Sun lacked authorization to either issue or sign any new invitation letters."

"Further, the letter drafted by Sun for [the Chinese consul official] was signed by hand with a falsified version" of Hochul's signature, despite Sun having no authority to sign documents on the governor’s behalf.

Kathy Hochul’s reaction and FBI involvement

New York Governor Kathy Hochul was outraged upon learning of the allegations against Sun. In a press conference held in Manhattan, Hochul condemned Sun’s actions.

"Lying and misleading these administrations, breaking our ethics rules, and even forging my signature on documents. But even more importantly, this is a betrayal of New Yorkers and the American people," Hochul said Wednesday.

She noted that the FBI had sought her confirmation regarding the authenticity of the forged signature. "They asked me one question. I'm not able to talk about it, but it had to do with identifying whether something was my signature, and that was it," Hochul revealed.

The scandal escalated on Tuesday when the FBI arrested Linda Sun and her husband, Christopher Hu, at their multimillion-dollar home on Long Island. According to prosecutors, Sun's illicit activities allegedly driven by her ties to the Chinese government resulted in considerable financial gains for the couple.

The Chinese government is alleged to have funneled millions of dollars to Sun and Hu, which they used to purchase luxury items.

The US Department of Justice provided details on the alleged kickbacks received by Sun and Hu, which included "the facilitation of millions of dollars in transactions" for Hu's business activities in China, "travel benefits, tickets to events, [and] promotion of a close family friend's business."

"Sun and Hu laundered the monetary proceeds of this scheme to purchase, among other items, real estate property in Manhasset, New York currently valued at $4.1 million, a condominium in Honolulu, Hawaii currently valued at $2.1 million, and various luxury automobiles, including a 2024 Ferrari," the Justice Department said in a news release.

Moreover, the Justice Department noted how the kickbacks came in the form of "Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by a PRC government official's personal chef that were delivered to the residence of Sun's parents."

Linda Sun’s impact on New York politics

Linda Sun’s involvement in the New York state government extended beyond her alleged clandestine activities for the Chinese government. She was the chief diversity officer under former governor Andrew Cuomo and was known to promote DEI practices within the New York State Department of Financial Services.

However, the Justice Department’s findings paint a different picture of Sun's tenure, revealing how she actively worked to suppress voices in the US advocating for China's oppressed Muslim Uyghur minority.

According to the indictment, Sun reported to a Chinese government official about a disagreement she had with Hochul's speechwriter. The speechwriter insisted that the governor's Chinese New Year message include a reference to the "Uyghur situation" in China—a suggestion that Sun vehemently opposed.

Ultimately, the governor's speech made no mention of the Uyghurs and the Chinese Consulate in New York proceeded to post the speech on its Facebook page, Newsweek reported.