In the wake of the mysterious spy balloons US Department of Justice accuses China of mapping Chinese in US, writes ABC News.
One of the cases that draws attention are two Americans who, according to ABC sources, are singled out as Chinese agents. They are accused of having started an illegal police operation in Chinatown in lower Manhattan last year. The FBI believes that the Chinese security agency used the premises to spy on and harass government-critical Chinese living in the United States.
In questioning, one of the men claimed that the premises were used to help Chinese with, among other things, renewing Chinese official documents, writes CNN. The two men are said to have later deleted messages and information linked to officials at the security agency.
One plaintiff, said to have worked as a political consultant, tells the FBI that she has received threatening phone calls and messages on social media, suspected to be from people connected to Chinese authorities.
Scouted via Zoom
According to sources within the FBI, ten Chinese officials on behalf of the security agency have enlisted the help of an employee of a telecommunications company to be able to intercept video calls, with the aim of identifying and harassing Chinese dissidents, writes ABC News.
Started social media accounts
In a third case, it is said that the national police authority allowed about 30 people to set up fake accounts on social media, in order to spread propaganda and offend Chinese residents in the United States. According to CNN, they allegedly pretended to be American citizens.
