WESELY CHAPEL, Fla. – A federal indictment unsealed today charges Ping Li, a 59-year-old resident of Wesley Chapel, with acting as an agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) without notifying the U.S. Attorney General, as required by law. Li faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Court documents allege that Li worked as a “cooperative contact” for the PRC’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), the country’s civilian intelligence agency.
He allegedly provided the MSS with information on various topics of interest to the Chinese government, including details about Chinese dissidents, pro-democracy advocates, members of the Falun Gong religious movement, and U.S.-based non-governmental organizations.
Li allegedly used anonymous online accounts to communicate with MSS officers and traveled to China to meet with them. He also reportedly provided the MSS with information obtained from his employers, a major U.S. telecommunications company and an international information technology company.
The indictment details several instances where Li allegedly provided sensitive information to the MSS, including the name and biographical information of a Falun Gong practitioner in St. Petersburg, Florida, and information about hacking events targeting U.S. companies.
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Ping Li, 59, of Wesley Chapel, Florida, was charged Wednesday with conspiring to act as an agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) without notifying the Attorney General and acting as an agent of the PRC without such notification.
If convicted, Li faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
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