Los Angeles: The FBI has arrested a 34-year-old California woman accused of acting as an unregistered agent for China and allegedly surveilling the son of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te and his family, US federal officials said.
Wanying “Heather” Zhang, a 34-year-old Irvine resident, was arrested Sunday and is accused of carrying out surveillance at the direction of Chinese officials, according to a federal criminal complaint filed Saturday.
The FBI said Zhang traveled to Seattle in September 2025, where she allegedly monitored a close relative of a senior Taiwanese government official. The person was not identified in the complaint, but the FBI said in a social media post that the individual was Lai’s son.
According to the complaint, Zhang and another person identified as “Individual 1” flew from Las Vegas to Seattle on Sept. 1, 2025, and traveled to the relative’s residence.
Security camera footage from a neighboring property allegedly showed Zhang and Individual 1 waiting outside the home in a rented black SUV, according to the complaint.
When the relative and family members returned to the residence, the two individuals allegedly raised their phones and appeared to photograph or record them, the complaint said.
Federal investigators allege that Zhang was acting on behalf of Chinese officials and had been tasked with collecting information about the Taiwanese official’s family.
The complaint said information including the relatives’ locations, homes and vehicles could potentially be used by the Chinese government to gain leverage over Taiwan’s president in the event of a conflict.
FBI Director Kash Patel issued a strong warning following Zhang’s arrest, saying the agency would pursue foreign espionage operations conducted on US soil.
“Foreign adversaries take note: America is no longer a safe place to run your espionage operations. 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,” Patel said.
Zhang allegedly coordinated the trip with an associate and used methods intended to avoid detection, federal prosecutors said. She is also accused of failing to notify the US attorney general that she was acting on behalf of a foreign government, which is a federal offense.
“She never notified the Attorney General she was acting for a foreign government,” First Assistant US Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli said in a social media post.
Zhang is scheduled to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Monday for her initial appearance.
It was not immediately clear whether Zhang had retained an attorney. CNN reported that it had contacted the FBI, the US Department of Justice and the Chinese Embassy for comment.
The case comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan. China’s ruling Communist Party claims Taiwan as part of its territory, although Beijing has never governed the self-ruled island. Chinese authorities have repeatedly threatened to use force if necessary to bring Taiwan under Beijing’s control.
Lai has been a frequent target of criticism from Beijing, which has accused him of promoting Taiwanese independence and described him as a separatist and troublemaker. Lai has repeatedly called for dialogue with China while defending Taiwan’s sovereignty and democratic system.
Taiwanese authorities condemned the alleged surveillance.
Karen Kuo, a spokesperson for Taiwan’s Presidential Office, described the case as an example of “classic transnational repression.”
Under the longstanding US “One China” policy, Washington acknowledges Beijing’s position that Taiwan is part of China but does not officially recognize the Chinese Communist Party’s claim to sovereignty over the self-governing island.
