A 34-year-old California woman has been arrested at Los Angeles International Airport while allegedly trying to leave the United States for China, with federal authorities accusing her of acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government.
Wanying Zhang, also known as “Heather,” of Irvine, was arrested by FBI agents and charged in a federal complaint with acting as an unregistered agent of the People’s Republic of China.
According to an affidavit, Zhang travelled to Seattle in 2025 at the direction of Chinese officials and allegedly surveilled a close relative of a Taiwanese government official.
Authorities say she collected photographs, videos and vehicle licence-plate information and transmitted the material to Chinese officials. She allegedly coordinated the operation with an associate and used measures intended to avoid detection.
Federal authorities also allege Zhang failed to notify the U.S. Attorney General that she was acting on behalf of a foreign government, as required under federal law.
Zhang is due to appear in federal court in Los Angeles for her initial appearance. She is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
