Husband of Chinese spy who allegedly stalked Taiwan presidents son for communist regime dodges questions at court
The glamorous California realtor accused of spying on a world leader’s son made her first court appearance Monday as her husband dodged questions about her alleged espionage adventures. Wanying Zhang, faced a judge in downtown Los Angeles wearing a high collared designer jacket, black pants, highlighted hair and shackles as her husband, Edric Ding, looked on.The hearing took a bizarre turn when Zhang’s public defender, Chad Pennington, asked for a sidebar conversation with the judge seconds after the proceeding began which led to a lengthy 20 minute court recess.When the parties returned, Zhang was asked if she understood what she was accused of and answered “Yes.”The proceedings were then continued to Wednesday while Zhang “considered retaining private council,” according to PenningtonDing, who spent the entire afternoon waiting for the proceedings in the court hallway scrolling on his cell phone, was peppered with questions by the California Post as he left the courthouse.When asked if his wife was a Chinese spy, Ding looked straight ahead and said nothing.He attempted to block The Post’s camera at times.The hearing came after the USC-educated realtor was arrested at LAX after being accused of spying for China.
Zhang, also known as “Heather,” was busted at the airport Sunday as she tried to board a flight to Shanghai.Video taken just after the arrest showed several FBI agents leading the handcuffed Zhang through the airport terminal.The 34-year-old, who lives in Irvine, Orange County, is accused of working with handlers from the People’s Republic of China to surveil the son of Taiwan’s president Ching-Te Lai.Zhang, who worked for a real estate firm along with her husband Edric Ding, allegedly traveled to Seattle in September 2025 to spy on Ting-Yu Lai, an engineer in his 30s who is based in the US. Surveillance camera photographs also allegedly caught Zhang sitting in a car with an accomplice taking pictures of his house and close relative...