(TibetanReview.net, Dec11’20) – A suspected Chinese spy working as a community affairs officer but since arrested for monitoring and reporting on Tibetans in the New York City area while scouting for recruits from among them to the Chinese government’s cause has been denied bail until his trial, reported amny.com Dec 11, citing the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
The suspected police-spy, Mr Baimadajie Angwang, worked as a community affairs officer in a northeast Queens police precinct at the time of his arrest after prolonged investigation. He has also been charged for several other violations, including making false claims of Chinese persecution as a Tibetan to claim asylum and giving false declarations to get security clearances.
The report noted that Angwang stood accused of acting as an unregistered foreign agent, working with two members of the Chinese consulate in New York since 2018 to provide information on activities of Tibetans living in the New York City area.
The naturalized US citizen has also been charged with wire fraud, false statements and obstruction of an official proceeding.
The report noted that Angwang had come to the US on a cultural exchange visa and overstayed a second visa, eventually becoming a naturalized citizen after seeking asylum in the US.
In his asylum claim, the officer, who is said to be a Tibetan from Tibet but apparently could not speak Tibetan, had alleged that he had suffered arrest and torture at the hands of the Chinese government. However, in reality, as the criminal complaint alleges, he was working with the Chinese consulate to report on ethnic Tibetans living in the city.
Besides he had regularly visited the PRC, something which is not possible if his asylum claims were true.
If convicted, Angwang could be jailed for up to 55 years.
