WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla.- Ping Li, a 59-year-old resident of Wesley Chapel, has admitted to conspiring to work as an agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) without notifying the U.S. Attorney General.
Li, a U.S. citizen who immigrated from China, previously held positions at major American telecommunications and IT companies. He confessed to providing the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) with a range of sensitive information since 2012, including details about Chinese dissidents, pro-democracy advocates, Falun Gong practitioners, and U.S.-based NGOs.
Li also shared confidential information about his employers with the MSS. He utilized anonymous online accounts and traveled to China to meet with MSS officers.
Specific examples of his activities include providing the MSS with information about a Falun Gong practitioner in Florida, sharing details about his U.S. employer’s operations in China, and providing insights into cyberattacks targeting American companies.
If convicted, Li could face up to five years in prison. The sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge.
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