Alleged Chinese spies are charged by the US in telecom probe case

Two Chinese nationals have been charged with obstructing a federal investigation into a major telecommunications company by paying thousands of dollars in jewelry and cash.

The prosecutors said that the two men tried to recruit a US law enforcement official as an intelligence asset to help interfere with the probe. However, the official was working as double agents for the FBI. Eleven other Chinese citizens were also charged in two spying cases.

According to charging documents, the two men were identified as Zheng Wang and Gouchun He. They attempted to seek details of the investigation, including evidence, witnesses, and potential criminal charges, by cultivating a relationship with a US law enforcement official. They also asked the official to record trial strategy meetings secretly.

However, the company was not named Attorney General Merrick Garland at a news conference on Monday or even in the documents. But the US media, by citing sources familiar with the investigation has reported it to be China-headquartered tech giant Huawei. US officials declined to identify the company.