Husband of Ex-New York Governor Aide Recorded Millions in Payments From China, Files Show

The defendants had a master list for a web of financial transactions. Prosecutors allege they were laundering illicit gains.

Linda Sun, a former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, and her husband, Chris Hu, exit the federal court in Brooklyn after Sun was charged with acting on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party in New York City on Sept. 3, 2024. Kent J. Edwards/Reuters

NEW YORK—The husband of a former aide to New York governors documented a master list of alleged kickbacks he received from China for many for hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to prosecutors.

Linda Sun, who is on trial for bribery and acting as a foreign agent for China, is accused of abusing her position in the governor’s office to help her husband and cousin secure contracts with New York state at the start of the pandemic. Her husband, Chris Hu, is accused of laundering money he received from China, allegedly as a kickback for contracts his wife facilitated in early March, April, and May of 2020.

The government presented evidence suggesting how the money was laundered through unrelated third parties via an intermediary. Defense attorneys argue the transactions are related to Hu’s legitimate export business selling live lobsters in China.

The prosecution showed a Microsoft Excel file found on Hu’s computer that appears to be a ledger for tracking income. His records show he received many transactions in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Specifically, the Excel file shows he received $100,000 on June 9, 2020, from Rising Sun Global Inc.

Rising Sun Global is owned by Yan Chai, who testified that she worked from her home in Flushing, New York. Chai previously exported health supplements to China with help of a woman named Sandy Hong. Chai testified earlier in the trial that she received wire transfers from China, which Hong instructed her to convert into checks or transfer the money to other accounts. Some of the time, Chai would give the checks to Hong or wire the funds to Golden Capital LLC., a company Chai allegedly had no knowledge of. Golden Capital is owned by Hu. When asked, Chai said she does not know Chris Hu or Linda Sun.

Screenshots of bank records of wire transfers and text message exchanges appear to show Hong coordinating wire transfers to third parties and then setting up in person meetings to send the funds back to Hu in the form of cash or checks.

In text message exchanges between Hong and Hu from January 2024, Hong provides bank routing information and an account name, Liu Wenqing, on Jan 13, 2024. The next day Hu shared a screenshot of the completed wire transfer to Liu Wenqing. Then on Jan 15, 2024, Hong and Hu confirmed a meet-up time. Transactions to Liu Wenqing continued into April, until Hong provided a new individual in June 2024, and funds were sent to a new third party.

According to bank records shown in court, these wire transfers all come from one source: Hu’s China based business partner, Chen Xiaoshi. Chen is identified in text messages as the uncle of Chris Hu. Chen is based in China and Hong Kong and known to be in the seafood business with Hu.

Prosecutors presented evidence of dozens of transactions sent by Chen, some to Hu and his businesses directly, but many to third parties, like Rising Sun Global. Some transactions to personal accounts included memos listing the funds were for “Family Support.”

Hu’s Excel ledger mentions someone named “Sandy” 56 times. There are as many as 32 transactions in 2020 from May to November that mention “Sandy,” as well as several from Rising Sun Global in June of that year. Prosecutors allege these roundabout money transfers were attempts to launder the money through third parties.