Jun Wei Yeo pled guilty to serving as an agent of the Chinese Communist Party operating in the U.S., attempting “to recruit Americans with access to sensitive government information” to pass along to the Chinese government,
“At the direction of the Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Yeo recruited Americans to provide information that he would pass back to his PRC handlers. Yeo concealed his PRC affiliation from his recruits and, contrary to law, from the United States Government. This criminal conduct is part of the PRC’s efforts to exploit the openness of American society by using agents who may appear innocuous, but who act upon taskings from a foreign government to obtain access and information,” the Department of Justice report read.
Yeo “admittedly acted as an illegal agent of a foreign power by using various social media sites, such as a professional networking website and other social networking applications, to recruit Americans with access to sensitive government information. He identified their vulnerabilities, like dissatisfaction with work or financial difficulties, and offered money in exchange for information and written reports,” the report continued.
