A federal court in Brooklyn has delivered guilty verdicts against three men involved in a campaign to pressure a former Chinese official residing in the US to return to China. This case highlights the US government's accusations against China for orchestrating intimidation tactics on American soil as part of its "Operation Fox Hunt" initiative.
Private investigator Michael McMahon, along with Chinese citizens Zheng Congying and Zhu Yong, were found guilty of employing scare tactics against the ex-official living in New Jersey. Zhu's convictions include acting as an illegal foreign agent, stalking, and conspiracy. Zheng was convicted of stalking and related conspiracy charges. McMahon was convicted on several counts, excluding conspiracy to act as a foreign agent.
This trial marks the first legal proceeding stemming from a series of US prosecutions investigating China's Operation Fox Hunt. While China claims the initiative targets fugitives from justice, US authorities often view it as "transnational repression," involving government agents harassing and silencing critics abroad. China denies using intimidation for forced repatriations, accusing the US of misrepresenting its crime-fighting efforts.
The target, former Wuhan city official Xu Jin, relocated to New Jersey with his family in 2010. He and his wife deny China's accusations of bribery, claiming they were targeted for dissenting against the Communist Party. Lacking an extradition treaty with the US, China allegedly resorted to indirect pressure tactics.
Over several years, Zhu, Zheng, and McMahon allegedly participated in a coordinated effort to coerce Xu's return. McMahon investigated Xu's whereabouts and family details. Zhu assisted in hiring McMahon and providing him with information. Zheng delivered a threatening note to Xu's residence, warning of harm to his family if he didn't return to China and serve a prison sentence.
The defense argued that the three men were unaware of China's alleged involvement, believing they were working for a company or individuals on a debt collection or similar matter. McMahon denied knowing he was working for a foreign government and expressed shock at the verdict. He plans to appeal the decision. Zheng and Zhu declined to comment.
This case unfolds amid strained US-China relations, marked by disagreements on trade, espionage, human rights, Taiwan, the South China Sea, the war in Ukraine, and alleged Chinese spying and harassment of dissidents overseas. While recent diplomatic talks showed some progress, significant challenges remain.
Launched in 2014, Operation Fox Hunt officially targets corrupt officials who fled China. However, critics argue it also targets individuals with dissenting political or cultural views. Several US criminal cases related to Operation Fox Hunt are underway, including one involving a pregnant US citizen detained in China and pressured to convince her mother to return.
Eight other individuals were charged alongside Zheng, McMahon, and Zhu for their alleged involvement in harassing Xu. Three have pleaded guilty, while five are believed to be in China. The pressure campaign against Xu reportedly included online harassment of his daughter's friends and a barrage of letters to a relative, culminating in a visit from Xu's elderly father, brought to the US by a Chinese prosecutor to urge his son's return.
