FBI technician pleads guilty to working as China agent
An FBI electronics technician has pleaded guilty to acting as an agent of China, passing "sensitive" information to the Chinese government.
Kun Shan Chun, who appeared in Manhattan Federal Court on Monday, admitted to passing sensitive data to a Chinese official on several occasions.
Chun, also known as Joey Chun, started his job at the FBI in 1997 and was arrested in March on a number of charges made public Monday.
He confessed that he acted at the direction of the Chinese official from 2011 to 2016, passing information, including the identity and travel plans of an FBI agent; an internal organizational chart; and photos he personally took of documents in a restricted area pertaining to surveillance technology, according to Assistant US Attorney Emil Bove.
Chun "expressed a willingness to facilitate the passage of sensitive United States government information from the [undercover agent] to one or more of his Chinese associates, including individuals associated with the Chinese government," the document states.
"At the time, I knew that was wrong, and I'm sorry for my actions," said 46-year-old Chun, who was born in China, but is a naturalized US citizen.
Chun was released on bail after the court hearing. He has waived his right to appeal any sentence of 27 months or less under a plea agreement.
“Today Joey Chun accepted responsibility for some mistakes in judgment that he deeply regrets. The truth is that Mr Chun loves the United States and never intended to cause it any harm," Jonathan Marvinny, his lawyer, said in a statement. "He hopes to put this matter behind him and move forward with his life."
Chun was first charged in March for giving false statements to hide his contact with several Chinese nationals as well as Zhuhai Kolion Technology Company Ltd, a Chinese-based computer printer manufacturer.
According to the complaint, individuals affiliated with the company asked Chun to do research and consulting tasks in return for, among other things, foreign travel.
According to a recorded conversation between Chun and an undercover FBI agent in 2015, Chun told the agent that his Chinese associates sometimes paid for prostitutes for him and provided hotels whenever he traveled to China, according to the complaint.
He said his parents asked him to work with those individuals since they were investors in Kolion, the complaint added.
Chun is scheduled to be sentenced December 2.
Trump team drawing up list of Pentagon officers to fire: Sources
Iran warns US against resumption of ‘maximum pressure’ policy
Seoul prepares for second Trump presidency
IAEA chief tours two key Iranian nuclear facilities
Larijani asserts Iran’s support for resistance, says conveyed Leader’s message to Lebanon
VIDEO | Beirut’s southern suburbs targeted in 'heavy' Israeli strikes
Haaretz: Over 10,000 Israelis have migrated to Canada this year
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
Official: Iran to respond ‘decisively’ to any threat to its nuclear program
Nearly 70 Mossad-linked terrorists killed or captured in southeast Iran
What collapse of German coalition government means
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
