US woman held for conspiring to smuggle technology to China
A woman from the US state of California has been arrested on charges of conspiring to smuggle sensitive space communications technology to her home country of China.
Si Chen, also known as Cathy Chen, was arraigned following her apprehension on Tuesday, standing accused of procuring and illegally exporting more than $100,000 worth of sensitive communications devices between March 2013 and December 2015 without obtaining proper export licenses required by the US federal law.
The indictment accuses Chen of 14 counts of charges, including the violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which controls and restricts the export of certain goods and technology from the US to foreign nations.
The items included components commonly used in military communications "jammers" from which Chen removed the export-control warning stickers prior to shipping, according to the court papers.
"Federal export laws are designed to protect American interests by preventing the proliferation of technology that may fall into the wrong hands," acting US Attorney Sandra Brown said in a statement. "We will vigorously pursue those who traffic items that could harm our national security if they land in the wrong hands."
The 32-year-old defendant is also charged with conspiracy, money laundering, making false statements on an immigration application, and using a forged passport.
Authorities said Chen had employed several aliases and used a Chinese passport in a bid to conceal her alleged smuggling activities on behalf of unnamed co-conspirators in China.
The products included microwave components that had applications in space technology and a so-called Traveling Wave Tube Amplifier used in space communications.
The indictment noted that after Chen purchased the restricted goods and technology, she would ship them to Hong Kong in parcels that bore her false name, along with false product descriptions and monetary values.
If convicted of the 14 charges in the indictment, Chen would face up to 150 years in prison, prosecutors said.
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