A California real estate agent, accused of conducting surveillance on the family of a Taiwanese official on behalf of Beijing, was taken into custody at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) as she prepared to depart for China. Federal authorities made the announcement on Sunday.
"We just arrested a Chinese foreign agent at LAX attempting to depart for China," First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli stated on social media.
Essayli confirmed that agents from the FBI's Los Angeles field office arrested the individual, identified as Zhang, on a federal charge alleging she acted as an unregistered agent for the People's Republic of China (PRC).
Allegations of Covert Surveillance
According to the allegations, Zhang traveled to Seattle in 2025 under the direction of Chinese officials. During this trip, she reportedly transmitted photographs, videos, and license plate information to her contacts.
"She coordinated the trip with an associate and used tradecraft to avoid detection," Essayli elaborated. "She never notified the Attorney General she was acting for a foreign government, a federal offense."
Speaking on "The Big Weekend Show" on Sunday, Essayli specified that Zhang is a naturalized U.S. citizen. He confirmed that the alleged surveillance operation targeted a relative of Taiwan's president.
"She was conducting surveillance on behalf of the Chinese government. She was acting as a foreign agent," Essayli asserted. "And she was spying on a relative of the president of Taiwan here in the U.S."
Authorities apprehended Zhang as she was attempting to board a flight bound for Shanghai.
FBI Director Issues Stern Warning
Following Zhang’s arrest, FBI Director Kash Patel issued a direct caution to foreign adversaries.
"Foreign adversaries take note: America is no longer a safe place to run your espionage operations," Patel declared. "Allegedly surveil a foreign leader’s family on U.S. soil for the PRC — and try to catch a flight back to Shanghai? Not happening."
"This FBI is hunting threats to our national security wherever they hide — and bringing them to justice," he added.
Law enforcement sources identified the alleged target as Ting-Yu Lai, the U.S.-based son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, although the official complaint does not explicitly name him.
Messages attributed to Zhang reportedly detail the surveillance: "Saw him. Young male. It’s that young one," she allegedly communicated to a Chinese government contact while positioned outside the residence. "I am videorecording," she purportedly added before relaying two license plate numbers.
The affidavit outlines how Zhang and an associate allegedly flew from Las Vegas to Seattle on September 1, 2025. They then rented a black Nissan Rogue and reportedly waited near the family's home. When the target arrived, a neighbor's security camera captured the pair swiftly sitting upright and holding devices, appearing to photograph or record the family. Other family members, including children, reportedly arrived shortly thereafter.
"While individual 1 took pictures, Zhang reclined her seat as if to avoid being seen," FBI Special Agent Kevin Holt wrote in the affidavit.
Days later, Zhang allegedly instructed her associate to transfer the surveillance photos using AirDrop.
"Seattle pictures, don’t send via WeChat or text. Must be sent over the air. I have to send it back. He wants me to send it back today," she reportedly said in an audio message described in the affidavit.
Special Agent Holt indicated his belief that these instructions were intended to circumvent detection. The associate later informed Zhang that he had deleted the photos and cleared them from his deleted folder, an act Holt characterized as an apparent attempt to destroy evidence.
Investigators suspect Zhang received this surveillance assignment during a meeting with a Chinese government contact in Changsha, China, in June 2025. She reportedly told the contact, "I can take care of this thing."
National Security Concerns and Legal Proceedings
Special Agent Holt emphasized that information concerning the relatives of a high-ranking Taiwanese official, including details about their residences and vehicles, could potentially provide Beijing with leverage over Taiwan's president during a period of potential conflict.
"Engaging in surveillance of a close relative of a high-ranking member of Taiwan’s government is not normal diplomatic behavior, especially inside of the United States," Holt stated.
Essayli cautioned on "The Big Weekend Show" that the threat of such activities is not confined to California.
"China’s very good at using people who are already here," he observed. "I don’t think it’s unique to California. It is happening nationwide."
Zhang is scheduled for a court appearance in federal court in Los Angeles on Monday. Essayli noted that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This arrest follows a separate case involving former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang, who was charged months prior with acting as an agent of China. That case involved allegations of paid efforts to disseminate pro-Beijing propaganda within the United States.
