Secretive Chinese Network Tries to Lure Fired Federal Workers, Research Shows

Secretive Chinese Network Tries to Lure Fired Federal Workers, Research Shows
Max Lesser, a senior analyst on emerging threats at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies poses for a portrait at an office in Washington on March 24, 2025. Carlos Barria/Reuters
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A network of companies operated by a secretive Chinese tech firm has been trying to recruit recently laid-off U.S. government workers, according to job ads and a researcher who uncovered the campaign.

Max Lesser, a senior analyst on emerging threats with the Washington-based think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said some companies placing recruitment ads were “part of a broader network of fake consulting and headhunting firms targeting former government employees and AI researchers.”