New York Governor’s Aide Charged as Paid ‘Agent’ of China Who Bought Ferrari With Illicit Money

Linda Sun, a former aide to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and current New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, has been charged with acting as an unregistered foreign agent for the Chinese government.

Sun, who worked in the New York State government for about 15 years, has been accused of leveraging her positions to push Chinese interests in exchange for a little financial kickback from the Chinese government. Sun’s husband, Christopher Hu, has also been roped into the charges.

Sun, formerly Hochul’s deputy chief of staff, is alleged to have arranged meetings between Chinese officials and New York State representatives and issued fraudulent invitations that “induced the foreign citizens into unlawfully entering the United States,” according to the Brooklyn prosecutor. She is accused of changing official New York State messaging on issues that were critical of China.

In exchange, Sun’s husband’s business in China allegedly received millions of dollars, which the couple used to purchase luxury properties—like their $3.6 million home in Manhasset, New York, and a $1.9 million condo in Honolulu—and a brand-spanking new Ferrari. Other gifts included tickets to concerts and the ballet and the delivery of “Nanjing-style salted ducks” prepared by a Chinese official’s personal chef.

Her husband is being charged with bank fraud and money laundering.

The investigation appears to have kicked off after Sun left her role as deputy chief of staff after 15 months for a job with the Department of Labor. She was fired from that position in 2023 after the governor’s office found “evidence of misconduct.” That particular evidence is not been specified as of yet, but Gov. Hochul’s press secretary, Avi Small, told CNN that they were working closely with law enforcement as a result.

Both Sun and Hu pleaded not guilty after authorities rated their Long Island home. Both have been released on bond. Gov. Hochul, who will run for another term in 2026, expressed outrage at the entire ordeal and said Sun’s actions were a betrayal of public trust.