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A former top New York state official who is accused of spying for China once remarked that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was “much more obedient” than then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Linda Sun made the remark after she convinced Hochul, who served as Cuomo’s lieutenant governor at the time, to film a Lunar New Year video touting China’s New York consulate, the New York Post reported, citing evidence presented at Sun’s corruption trial.
“She is much more obedient than the governor,” Sun wrote to China consular official Lihua Li in a Jan. 25, 2021, message shown to jurors in Brooklyn federal court.
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Linda Sun is charged with being an aide to the Chinese government. (AP Photo/Corey Sipkin)
Minutes later, Sun texted Huang Ping, who headed the consulate office at the time.
“The deputy governor listens to me more than the governor does,” she allegedly wrote, prosecutors said.
Chinese officials had asked for Cuomo to film the video, but Sun told them that she could likely get Hochul to participate instead, prosecutors said.
“Let me ask, but likely the LG can probably do it,” Sun replied to Li, referring to Hochul.
“That would be great as well. Thanks,” Li responded.
In the two-minute video, Hochul is seen wishing everyone a happy Lunar New Year and talking about the “privilege” of working with the Chinese-American community and the Chinese consular office. Fox News Digital has reached out to Hochul’s office.
Sun, who also served under Hochul, is charged with violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy.
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New York Governor Kathy Hochul speaks at a press conference in Manhattan in New York City, Feb. 20, 2025. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)
Prosecutors from the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office believe that Sun acted on behalf of the Chinese government on a number of occasions, including seeking a high-level state visit to China and preventing representatives of the Taiwanese government from meeting with American officials.
In 2023, Sun was fired from her position after “evidence of misconduct” was discovered. She is accused of doing favors for Chinese officials in exchange for millions of dollars in business funneled to her husband, Chris Hu, who conducted business in China.
Hu and Sun are accused of using the money to buy property in Long Island, New York, and Honolulu worth more than $6 million, in addition to a 2024 Ferrari Roma sports car.
In one instance, Sun allegedly claimed to be able to stop Cuomo from mentioning the plight of the Uyghurs, the predominantly Muslim ethnic group that has been targeted by the Chinese government through mass incarceration and forced labor, according to human rights advocates.
In the Jan. 25, 2021, exchange with Ping, Sun wrote that she had an “argument” with Cuomo’s speechwriter, who had “insisted” on bringing up the Uyghurs, according to the Post report.
“This person has never been to China, right? He knows very little about China,” Ping replied.
Former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Linda Sun, once allegedly bragged that Hochul was “much more obedient” than then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo. (Getty Images)
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“Never been there,” Sun said. “I’m going to collapse.”
“I will think of a solution tomorrow, but I will definitely not let the governor bring it up,” Sun added.
Sun’s lawyers argued that her relationship with Chinese officials was not improper and was legal.
“Linda Sun did what she was hired to do. She didn’t commit a crime by doing her job,” defense attorney Jarrod Schaeffer told jurors at the start of the trial, the Post reported.
