Public announcements from the Department of Justice or FBI

Chen Jinping Pleads Guilty to Operating Secret Chinese Police Station in Lower Manhattan for Ministry of Public Security

Jan 6, 2025, 12:35 AM

Chen Jinping, 60, a New York resident, has pleaded guilty to operating an undeclared overseas police station in Lower Manhattan on behalf of the Chinese government's Ministry of Public Security (MPS). The station, which occupied an entire floor in an office building in Manhattan's Chinatown, was closed in the fall of 2022 following an FBI search. Chen, along with co-defendant Harry Lu Jianwang, conspired to act as illegal agents of the Chinese government and obstructed justice by deleting communications with an MPS official after learning of the FBI's probe. Chen faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, while Lu has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial. The case highlights concerns over transnational repression efforts by foreign governments on U.S. soil.