Chen Jinping, 60, has pleaded guilty to charges related to the operation of a covert police station for the Chinese government in Lower Manhattan, marking yet another chapter in the U.S. government's increased focus on foreign influence and intimidation campaigns against dissidents. During his appearance on September 27, 2023, at Brooklyn federal court, Chen admitted to conspiring to act as an illegal foreign agent, significantly deepening concerns about China's reach beyond its borders.
U.S. Attorney Breon Peace described the case as emblematic of transnational repression schemes employed by Beijing. "Today, a participant in such a scheme who worked to establish a secret police station...has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to act as an illegal agent," he noted, underlining the seriousness of the charges. Chen, alongside his co-defendant Lu Jianwang, known as Harry Lu, was accused of running the station which purported to assist members of the Chinese-American community but actually aimed to intimidate pro-democracy activists.
"This illegal police station was not opened in the interest of public safety but to advance the nefarious and repressive aims of the People’s Republic of China, violating American sovereignty directly," stated Matthew Olsen, Assistant Attorney General. The station, according to federal prosecutors, occupied the entirety of one floor within an office building close to the Manhattan Bridge.
The FBI executed operations against the illicit police station in October 2022, seizing phones from both Chen and Lu. Investigators later discovered evidence of deleted communications between the accused and officials from China’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS). Their attempt to erase these messages was interpreted as obstruction of justice by federal authorities, highlighting the lengths they went to conceal their actions.
During the court proceedings, Chen acknowledged his role through an interpreter, stating, "I knowingly agreed to act as a foreign agent for a foreign government." Yet he initially hesitated to explicitly name China when questioned by the judge about which government he represented, only admitting to it under persistent inquiry.
Both Chen and Lu were charged following their arrests in April 2023, as part of broader efforts by the Justice Department to disrupt Beijing's operations targeting exiled dissidents. Authorities alleged the duo aided the MPS by identifying pro-democracy activists residing within the U.S. and providing assistance to Beijing's efforts to track them.
While the facility did perform some basic services, such as helping citizens renew driver’s licenses, federal officials stressed its darker purpose of facilitating intimidation. The police station was shut down late last year amid increasing scrutiny and investigation. Although Chen has pleaded guilty and faces up to five years in prison, Lu has not accepted the charges and is currently awaiting trial.
The case serves as a warning about the expansive measures taken by the Chinese government to exert influence on U.S. soil. U.S. Attorney Peace made it clear on Wednesday, stating, "A priority of my office has been to counteract the malign activities of foreign governments...targeting local diaspora communities." Such statements resonate with the growing concerns about foreign overreach and the safety of communities across America.
The covert nature of operations like the one Chen and Lu allegedly carried out signals the challenges faced by authorities trying to safeguard national sovereignty against foreign meddling. Just as alarming is the systemic pattern of intimidation reported by various dissidents who have faced pressure due to their political beliefs once relocated to the U.S.
This prosecution marks the first time criminal charges have been brought based on the operations of such police outposts. With each case, including those of other individuals charged with similar offenses, federal officials signal they are prepared to take action against those assisting foreign governments as part of nefarious agendas against U.S. citizens and residents.
Chen is scheduled to be sentenced on May 30, 2025. Meanwhile, the fallout from his guilty plea continues to raise questions about the extent of foreign influence on American soil, the prevalence of foreign agent activities disguised as community service, and the broader fight for the rights of those escaping authoritarian regimes.
