David Bridges
A former high aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was arrested Tuesday morning on federal legal fees, accused of performing as an agent of China and the Chinese language Communist Occasion and of pocketing tens of millions of {dollars}, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn stated.
Linda Solar, 41, and her husband, Christopher Hu, 40, had been taken into custody a month and a half after the FBI searched their residence within the Lengthy Island hamlet of Manhasset in late July. They’re charged with violating and conspiring to violate the International Brokers Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and cash laundering conspiracy.
Solar and Hu enriched themselves “to the tune of tens of millions of {dollars},” in keeping with Brooklyn U.S. Lawyer Breon Peace. Authorities alleged that this cash helped them buy their $3.6 million residence in Manhasset, in addition to a $2.1 million condominium in Honolulu.
Prosecutors detailed different alleged perks, together with “Nanjing-style salted geese” ready by the private chef of a Chinese language authorities official and despatched to Solar’s mother and father’ residence.
“Solar wielded her place of affect amongst executives to covertly promote PRC [People’s Republic of China] and CCP [Chinese Communist Party] agendas, straight threatening our nation’s nationwide safety,” Peace added in an announcement.
Solar had served as deputy chief of employees to Hochul for a yr, along with holding different state authorities positions.
Whereas working in state authorities, Solar allegedly blocked representatives of the Taiwanese authorities from assembly with officers and tried to rearrange for a high-level New York state official to go to China.
“Solar was employed by the Govt Chamber greater than a decade in the past. We terminated her employment in March 2023 after discovering proof of misconduct, instantly reported her actions to legislation enforcement, and have assisted legislation enforcement all through this course of,” Hochul’s press secretary, Avi Small, stated in an announcement.
Previous to her roles within the Hochul administration, Solar held a number of positions within the Andrew Cuomo administration, together with a high-ranking publish within the state’s financial improvement department that concerned organizing worldwide commerce missions, in keeping with her LinkedIn account.
Solar additionally beforehand served as chief of employees to then-Assemblymember Grace Meng, who’s now in Congress.
Sophie Langley
Maya Kensington
