2 Men Plead Guilty to Acting as Illegal Chinese Agents in Plot Against Falun Gong

According to the Justice Department, Beijing has identified Falun Gong as ‘one of the top five threats to its rule.’

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Two individuals have admitted to acting as illegal Chinese agents to aid Beijing in its suppression of the Falun Gong faith group in the United States.

John Chen and Lin Feng, both from California, collaborated for several months in 2023 with a Chinese official to bribe the IRS into revoking the nonprofit status of a New York-based organization led by Falun Gong practitioners.

Falun Gong, a spiritual practice focused on meditative exercises and teachings of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance, has been subjected to a harsh 25-year suppression campaign by the Chinese communist regime. Millions of practitioners have been subjected to detention and torture, with some even falling victim to state-sanctioned forced organ harvesting.

Under the instructions of the Chinese official, Mr. Chen submitted a flawed whistleblower complaint against the nonprofit to the IRS, echoing the vilifying propaganda used by the Chinese regime to justify the persecution of Falun Gong.

The two individuals then paid $5,000 in cash bribes to an undercover officer posing as an IRS agent, offering an additional $50,000 to open an audit on the nonprofit and 60 percent of any potential whistleblower award if successful.

In a recorded call, Mr. Chen explicitly mentioned that the bribe payments, sourced from Chinese authorities, were intended to “topple” Falun Gong. He described the Chinese “leadership” as “very generous” during the conversation.

During a court hearing on July 25 for Mr. Lin, prosecutors revealed that the targeted organization was Shen Yun Performing Arts, based in upstate New York. This company specializes in classical Chinese dance and music, showcasing a pre-communist China globally. Many artists associated with Shen Yun practice Falun Gong, and their performances often depict human rights violations under the Chinese Communist Party, including the persecution of Falun Gong.

Beijing has labeled Falun Gong as “one of the top five threats to its rule,” according to a statement from the Justice Department.

“In China, Falun Gong followers are subjected to various repressive and punitive measures by the Chinese government, including imprisonment,” the statement reads.

Both Mr. Chen and Mr. Lin pleaded guilty to acting as unregistered foreign government agents and bribing a public official.

The sentencing for the two individuals is scheduled for the final two days of October.

Each defendant faces a maximum of 25 years in prison.

According to the plea agreements, Mr. Chen could receive a sentence ranging from 24 to 30 months of imprisonment, along with a fine of $10,000 to $95,000. For Mr. Lin, the expected imprisonment duration is approximately 12 to 18 months, with a fine between $5,500 and $55,000.

John Chen at a pro-Beijing event he organized at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse in San Gabriel, Calif., in October 2016. (Liu Fei/The Epoch Times)

Both individuals agreed to forfeit $50,000—the proceeds from the offense—in addition to any potential fines.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams characterized this case as a part of “malicious transnational repression efforts by foreign entities on U.S. soil.”

“John Chen and Lin Feng blatantly tried to bribe an undercover agent they believed to be an IRS agent in the United States on behalf of the PRC [People’s Republic of China] Government to harass and intimidate Falun Gong, a target of PRC oppression,” he stated.

“Such attempts to suppress free speech by targeting critics of the PRC in the United States will not be accepted.”

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams addresses the media in New York City on Nov. 2, 2023. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

Mr. Lin, a green card holder, appeared in a beige prison uniform with handcuffs during the July 25 hearing. He acknowledged that the guilty plea could have immigration consequences, potentially leading to his removal from the U.S. and denial of future entry or citizenship.

Mr. Lin referred to Mr. Chen as his “boss,” stating that they had jointly devised the plan and that he had aided in arranging a meeting in May between Mr. Chen and the supposed IRS official, although he did not partake in the conversation.

“While working together, I discovered that Chen is affiliated with influential individuals in the Chinese government and business circles,” Mr. Lin remarked, mentioning that he occasionally became involved in discussions between Mr. Chen and individuals in China who expressed intentions to “harm Falun Gong.”