Hochuls ex-aide accused of working as Chinese foreign agent faces new bribery charges
A former top aide to Gov.Kathy Hochul and ex-Gov.
Andrew Cuomo who allegedly worked as a Chinese foreign agent was hit with more federal charges Wednesday tied to a COVID-era kickback scheme worth millions.Linda Sun and husband Chris Hu allegedly made off with as much as $8 million in the wide-scale fraud after she facilitated multiple contracts between New York state and two Chinese-based vendors for pandemic equipment, according to the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.One of the companies was run by Hu, 40, and his business partner, and the other was operated by Sun’s second cousin, but the staffer never disclosed the personal ties, according to prosecutors.Sun, 41, even allegedly doctored documents that showed the two companies were recommended by Chinese officials.Her husband is accused of keeping track of the expected ill-gotten proceeds on a spreadsheet under the title “Me.”US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella assailed Sun, of Manhasset, for enriching herself when the state “was at its most vulnerable at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.”“When masks, gloves, and other protective supplies were hard to find, Sun abused her position of trust to steer contracts to her associates so that she and her husband could share in the profits,” he said in a statement.A lawyer for Sun said his client “vehemently denied” Thursday’s charges.
“The newest allegations continue the government’s trend of making and publicizing feverish accusations unmoored from the facts and evidence that we expect will actually come out at trial,” said attorney Jarrod L.Schaeffer.
When the pandemic first engulfed New York, Sun was part of a group of officials tasked with obtaining personal protective equipment and used her influence to work with the Chinese government to get the much-needed items.The Jiangsu Department of Commerce recommended four Chinese vendors to state officials for supplies on March 20, but Sun allegedly...