New York Resident Pleads Guilty in Case of “Secret Police Station” Allegedly Aiding Beijing

A New York resident accused of operating a “secret police station” in Manhattan’s Chinatown to assist Beijing in targeting dissidents has pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as an unregistered foreign agent.

Chen Jinping, 61, entered his guilty plea during a hearing at Brooklyn Federal Court before U.S. District Judge Nina Morrison. Chen admitted to removing an online article about the alleged police station on behalf of China’s government in September 2022, acknowledging that he was not registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent as required by U.S. law. He faces up to five years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for May 30.

Chen and his co-defendant, Lu Jianwang, were initially arrested on April 17, 2023. Lu, who faces additional charges of obstruction of justice, has pleaded not guilty.

The case gained attention after a 2022 investigation by the Spain-based advocacy group Safeguard Defenders, which alleged that China had set up overseas “service stations,” including in New York, to pressure fugitives to return to China illegally.

China’s Denial

At a press briefing in Beijing on Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian denied the existence of “secret police stations,” stating, “(China) has always strictly abided by international law and respected the judicial sovereignty of all countries.” However, Lin said he was unaware of the specifics of the case.

China’s embassy in Washington did not immediately comment on Chen’s guilty plea. Beijing has previously asserted that such centers are volunteer-run facilities intended to provide services like document renewal for Chinese citizens abroad, dismissing U.S. accusations as attempts to tarnish China’s reputation.

U.S. Department of Justice’s Crackdown

The Department of Justice has intensified efforts to investigate “transnational repression” by foreign governments, including China and Iran, aimed at intimidating political dissidents residing in the United States.

Prosecutors allege that Lu and Chen, both U.S. citizens, operated a nonprofit organization in Chinatown that served as a social hub for individuals from China’s Fujian province. The organization’s office, located near the Manhattan Bridge, occupied an entire floor of a Chinatown building and was closed in late 2022.

While prosecutors acknowledge that the site offered routine services such as helping Chinese citizens renew driver’s licenses, they argue that these activities should have been disclosed to U.S. authorities. Additionally, Lu was reportedly instructed by Beijing in 2022 to locate a pro-democracy activist in California and, in 2018, attempted to persuade a fugitive to return to China.

Origins of the Case

The FBI raided the Chinatown site in early 2023, following Safeguard Defenders’ allegations. The story was first broken on January 25, 2023, by EPardafas, with the headline, “FBI Raids Secret Chinese Police Station Staffed with ‘Illegal Cops’ in New York’s Chinatown”.

As the investigation continues, the case raises concerns over transnational repression and the use of U.S. soil for foreign government operations. Chen’s guilty plea marks a significant development in the Department of Justice’s efforts to counter such activities.