Kun Shan Chun, a naturalized U.S. citizen and former FBI electronics technician, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for acting as an agent of the People’s Republic of China without notifying the Attorney General. The Manhattan federal court ruling, handed down by U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero, also includes a $10,000 fine. Chun, a/k/a “Joey Chun,” pleaded guilty on August 1, 2016, ending a years-long investigation into his clandestine work for Chinese intelligence interests.
Chun, who began working at the FBI’s New York Field Office in 1997, held a Top Secret security clearance by 1998 and had regular access to sensitive and classified information. Instead of safeguarding national security, prosecutors say he exploited his position to funnel details about the FBI’s personnel structure, technological capabilities, surveillance strategies, and investigative targets to at least one known Chinese government official, referred to as “Chinese Official-1” in court documents.
According to federal filings, Chun’s betrayal began as early as 2005 through his ties to Zhuhai Kolion Technology Company Ltd., a China-based firm. While claiming to perform legitimate consulting work, Chun and his relatives received financial benefits—including travel reimbursements and cash payments—in exchange for gathering U.S.-based technical intelligence. Evidence shows he researched solid-state hard drives and printer cartridges, materials with potential intelligence value.
His relationship with Chinese Official-1, established around 2007, deepened the breach. Over years, Chun engaged in a deliberate effort to conceal his communications and activities from FBI supervisors. The court found he knowingly transmitted sensitive law enforcement information to foreign nationals aware of his FBI employment, violating federal law prohibiting unauthorized representation of foreign governments.
“Kun Shan Chun, an FBI employee, was supposed to work to protect and serve the American people. But instead, he acted as a secret agent of China. For that betrayal, Chun has now been sentenced to federal prison,” said Preet Bharara, then-U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. emphasized the case’s chilling implications: “This investigation validates that we at the FBI are not immune to the threat of an insider.” He warned American institutions to remain vigilant against insider threats seeking to exploit trust for foreign gain. The bureau vows to continue protecting sensitive data across government and private sectors.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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