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`Case 1:22-mj-01137-RER Document 1 Filed 10/20/22 Page 2 of 29 PageID #: 2
`Case 1:22-mj-01137-RER Document1 Filed 10/20/22 Page 2 of 29 PagelD #: 2
`
`DMP:AAS/MAA
`F. #2021R01036
`
`UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
`
`
`UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
`
`FILED UNDER SEAL
`
`COMPLAINT AND
`AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT
`OF ARREST WARRANTS
`
`Docket No. 22 MJ 1137
`(18 U.S.C. §§ 1512(c)(2) and
`1956(a)(2)(A))
`
`Thomas M.Ryder, being duly sworn, deposes andstates that he is a Supervisory
`
`Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, duly appointed according to law and
`
`acting as such.
`
`OBSTRUCTION OF AN OFFICIAL PROCEEDING
`
`In or about and between January 2019 andthe present, both dates being
`
`approximate and inclusive, within the Eastern District of New York and elsewhere, the
`
`defendants GUOCHUN HE,also known as “Dong He”or “Jacky He,” and ZHENG WANG,
`
`also known as “Zen Wang,” together with others, did knowingly, intentionally and corruptly
`
`attempt to obstruct, influence and impede an official proceeding, to wit: a criminal prosecution in
`
`the Eastern District of New Yorkof a global telecommunications company (“Company-1”’)
`
`based in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”).
`
`(Title 18, United States Code, Section 1512(c)(2))
`
`Xx
`
`Xx
`
`- against-
`
`Defendants.
`
`
`EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK,SS:
`
`GUOCHUN HE,also known as “Dong He”or
`“Jacky He,” and
`ZHENG WANG,also known as “Zen Wang,”
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`MONEY LAUNDERING
`
`In or about November 2021, within the Eastern District of New York and
`
`elsewhere, the defendant GUOCHUN HE,also known as “Dong He”or “Jacky He,” together
`
`with others, did knowingly andintentionally transport, transmit and transfer monetary instruments
`
`and funds, to wit: approximately $41,000 in Bitcoin, from one or more places outside the United
`
`States to and through one or more places inside the United States, with the intent to promote the
`
`carrying on of specified unlawful activity, to wit: obstruction ofjustice, in violation of Title 18,
`
`United States Code, Section 1512(c)(2).
`
`(Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(a)(2)(A))
`
`MONEY LAUNDERING
`
`Case 1:22-mj-01137-RER Document 1 Filed 10/20/22 Page 3 of 29 PageID #: 3
`Case 1:22-mj-01137-RER Document1 Filed 10/20/22 Page 3 of 29 PagelD #: 3
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`In or about October 2022, within the Eastern District of New York and elsewhere,
`
`the defendant GUOCHUN HE,also known as “Dong He”or “Jacky He,” together with others,
`
`did knowingly and intentionally transport, transmit and transfer monetary instruments and funds,
`
`to wit: approximately $20,000 in Bitcoin, from one or more places outside the United States to
`
`and through one or more places inside the United States, with the intent to promote the carrying
`
`on of specified unlawful activity, to wit: obstruction ofjustice, in violation of Title 18, United
`
`States Code, Section 1512(c)(2).
`
`(Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(a)(2)(A))
`
`
`
`1.
`
`I have been a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation
`
`(FBI) since August 2014 and am currently a Supervisory Special Agent assigned to the New
`
`York City Field Office. As a Special Agent, I have investigated numerous matters during the
`
`course of which I have conducted physical surveillance, interviewed witnesses, executed court-
`
`authorized search warrants and used other investigative techniques to secure relevant
`
`information.
`
`Iam familiar with the facts and circumstancesset forth below from my
`
`participation in the investigation, my review ofthe investigative file, and from my review of
`
`reports of other law enforcementofficers involved in the investigation.
`
`I. The Defendants
`
`2.
`
`The defendant GUOCHUN HE,also known as “Dong He”or “Jacky He,”
`
`is a citizen of the PRC. Based on the information set forth below, I assess that HE is an
`
`intelligence officer of the PRC conducting foreign intelligence operations targeting the United
`
`States, on behalf of the PRC governmentand for the benefit of Company-1. The defendant
`
`ZHENG WANG,also known as “Zen Wang,” is a citizen of the PRC whois known to meto be
`
`HE’s co-worker, and whomIassessalso to be an intelligence officer of the PRC conducting
`
`foreign intelligence operations targeting the United States, on behalf of the PRC governmentand
`
`Case 1:22-mj-01137-RER Document 1 Filed 10/20/22 Page 4 of 29 PageID #: 4
`Case 1:22-mj-01137-RER Document1 Filed 10/20/22 Page 4 of 29 PagelD #: 4
`
`The source of your deponent’s information and the groundsfor his belief are as
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`unsealing of a superseding indictment against Company-1, the U.S. Department of Justice
`
`indicated that the investigation related to Company-1 is ongoing.
`
`Ill.
`
`The Schemeto Obstruct the Investigation and Prosecution of
`Company-1
`
`A. Overview of Conduct
`
`4.
`
`In their capacity as intelligence officers working for the PRC government,
`
`HE and WANGattempted to direct a person they believed they had recruited as an asset who is
`
`employed by a U.S. government law enforcement agency (“GE-1”’) to obtain confidential
`
`information regarding witnesses,trial evidence and potential new charges to be brought against
`
`4
`
`Case 1:22-mj-01137-RER Document 1 Filed 10/20/22 Page 5 of 29 PageID #: 5
`Case 1:22-mj-01137-RER Document1 Filed 10/20/22 Page 5 of 29 PagelD #: 5
`
`for the benefit of Company-1. Photographs of HE and WANG,respectively, are set forth
`
`II. Background Regarding the Investigation and Prosecution of Company-1
`
`3.
`
`Company-1 is a global telecommunications company headquartered in the
`
`PRC which conducts business across the world and in the United States. Company-1 maintains
`
`severalaffiliates in the United States. Company-1 is a defendant in a pending prosecution in
`
`the Eastern District of New York (““EDNY”).
`
`Ina February 2020 press release announcing the
`
`
`
`5.
`
`HE and WANGfirst cultivated their relationship with GE-1 in or about
`
`February 2017. GE-1 subsequently began working as a double agent for the U.S. government.
`
`Since becoming a double agent, GE-1’s continued contact with HE and WANGoccurred under
`
`the supervision of the FBI. Pursuant to directives from the FBI, GE-1 provided various kinds of
`
`information to HE and WANGattheir request, including purportedly sensitive information about
`
`the U.S. government’s criminal case against Company-1. While acting under the supervision of
`
`the FBI, GE-1 received payment from HE and WANGforthe information he/she had provided,
`
`some of which has purported to contain sensitive, non-public U.S. governmenttrial information.
`
`6.
`
`Asof October 2021, HE and WANGhadprovided GE-1 with paymentof
`
`approximately $14,000, in addition to jewelry worth approximately $600, for purported sensitive
`
`U.S. government information.
`
`Specifically, and unrelated to this matter, GE-1 received: (1) a
`
`Western Union wire for $2,000 in September 2017; (2) $3,000 in cash during an in-person
`
`meeting with HE and WANG;and(3) $9,000 in cash and jewelry in September 2018.
`
`7.
`
`Beginning in or about January 2019, when chargeswere first announced
`
`against Company-1, HE and WANGrepeatedly sought from GE-1 non-public information
`
`regarding the pending criminal prosecution of Company-1, as well as any ongoing investigation
`
`of Company-1, in an effort to interfere with the prosecution and the ongoing investigation.
`
`Beginning in the summerof 2021, HE and WANG’s efforts to interfere with the pending
`
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`2 Certain references to conduct by GE-1 are to conduct by law enforcementagentsacting on
`behalf of GE-1, such as communications sent on GE-1’s behalf and receipt of Bitcoin payment on
`GE-1’s behalf.
`
`ÿ
`
`Case 1:22-mj-01137-RER Document 1 Filed 10/20/22 Page 6 of 29 PageID #: 6
`Case 1:22-mj-01137-RER Document1 Filed 10/20/22 Page 6 of 29 PagelD #: 6
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`Company-1 for the purpose of obstructing justice. HE paid GE-1 approximately $61,000 for
`
`such information.”
`
`
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`Case 1:22-mj-01137-RER Document1 Filed 10/20/22 Page 7 of 29 PagelD #: 7
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`criminal prosecution and ongoing investigation related to Company-1 escalated.
`
`In or about
`
`September 2021, HE tasked GE-1 with providing information about meetings that GE-1 was
`
`purportedly having with membersof the prosecution team at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for
`
`EDNY to strategize for the jury trial in the prosecution of Company-1.
`
`In October 2021, in
`
`response to HE’s request for documents and records from the prosecution team, GE-1 passed to
`
`HEa single page documentthat appearedto beclassified as “SECRET”andthat purported to
`
`discuss a potential plan to charge and arrest two current Company-1 principals residing in the
`
`PRC. GE-1 falsely indicated to HE and WANGthathe/she surreptitiously photographed the
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`document during a meeting with federal prosecutors. The document, if authentic, could be used
`
`by Company-1 to obstruct the ongoing criminal prosecution and governmentinvestigation.*
`
`HE paid GE-1 approximately $41,000 in Bitcoin for that single page.
`
`In December 2021, after
`
`the document was passed to HE,in discussions concerning the document, HE informed GE-1
`
`that Company-1 “demanded to communicate with [GE-1] directly” but that HE had “refusedit”
`
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`4 The two documentsdescribed in this affidavit that GE-1 obtained and passed to HE and WANG
`were actually prepared by the governmentfor purposesofthis investigation and were neither
`taken from any documentrelated to the prosecution of Company-1 nor actually classified as
`“SECRET.” Furthermore, the information set forth below that was provided by GE-1 to HE and
`WANGdoesnotaccurately recount actual meetings, communications or other strategy related to
`the prosecution of Company-1.
`
`ÿ
`
`because“it’s too dangerous.”°
`
`8.
`
`In communications with HE and WANG,GE-1 has repeatedly indicated
`
`his/her knowledge and expectation that the materials he/she passed would be shared with
`
`3 Material classified at the “SECRET”level, if disclosed without authorization, would be
`expected to cause serious damageto the national security of the United States.
`
`> Unless otherwise noted, all communications between GE-1, HE and WANGsetforth below
`were made using an encrypted messaging program. All messages include original grammar,
`spelling and punctuation.
`
`
`
`Case 1:22-mj-01137-RER Document 1 Filed 10/20/22 Page 8 of 29 PageID #: 8
`Case 1:22-mj-01137-RER Document1 Filed 10/20/22 Page 8 of 29 PagelD #: 8
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`Company-1, and HE and WANGneverdenied that the materials they received from GE-1 would
`
`be shared with Company-1.
`
`In fact, regarding the purportedly classified page they received
`
`from GE-1 regarding Company-1, HE explained, “[Company-1] didn’t give mespecifically
`
`feedback nowyet [about the document], but they are obviously interested in it, and my boss and
`
`they need further information.” After receiving the document, HE and WANGrequested
`
`information regarding cooperating witnesses working with the U.S. governmentin the
`
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`® In or about January 2019, GE-1 sent a message to HE in which GE-1 stated, in sum and
`substance, that GE-1 was having financial difficulties. HE responded: “let me see if there are
`something I can do for you.”
`
`ÿ
`
`prosecution of Company-1.
`
`B. The Defendants First Seek Information Regarding the Prosecution of Company-1
`
`9.
`
`The defendants’ first efforts to obtain non-public information regarding
`
`the prosecution of Company-1 from GE-1 began in or about January 2019, shortly after charges
`
`were unsealed against Company-1.° On or about February 1, 2019, several daysafter the
`
`indictment charging Company-1 wasfirst unsealed, HE sent GE-1 a message containing two
`
`hyperlinks to public newsarticles about the charges. HE and GE-1 then exchanged the
`
`following messages:
`
`[HE]: Do you havetimeto use a public phone call me in this two days?
`
`[GE-1]: What do you mean by a public phone? Do you mean like a pay phone on
`the street?
`
`[HE]: yeah. the pay phoneonthestreet. is it convience for you?
`
`[GE-1]: I really don’t know if they exist anymore.
`
`[HE]: can you checkit exist or not tomorrow.ifstill exist. just tell me andI will
`tell you the phone numberthat we can makea phonecall in suitable time.
`
`
`
`10.
`
`Several days later, on or about February 4, 2019, GE-1 spoke with WANG
`
`using a public phone kiosk. During the call, WANGexpressedinterest in GE-1 obtaining non-
`
`public information about the prosecution of Company-1. During the conversation, WANG
`
`expressed interest in finding out information regarding “the U.S. side” of the charges against
`
`Company-1. When GE-1 indicated that he/she lacked direct access to such information,
`
`WANGsuggested that he/she consult with a “friend” or “maybe, you know, you know in your
`
`own ways maybe[unintelligible] you see you have the-the wayto find.”
`
`11.
`
`On or about February 14, 2020, several days after a superseding
`
`indictment charging Company-1 was unsealed, HE wrote GE-1: “And you know,yesterday, the
`
`US departmentofjustice make a new lawsuit just aim to [Company-1], can you talk about this
`
`with your ex-college [colleague] who work for department ofjustice? Evidencees, next
`
`measures, or communication .. .
`
`, anything about this are good, Thank you very much,”using an
`
`abbreviation for Company-1. When GE-1 responded that GE-1 did not know what the
`
`abbreviation meant, HE explained he wasreferring to Company-1. HE also wrote: “You can
`
`learn something about this case from Internet before start” and that “[t]he latest lawsuit yesterday
`
`Case 1:22-mj-01137-RER Document 1 Filed 10/20/22 Page 9 of 29 PageID #: 9
`Case 1:22-mj-01137-RER Document1 Filed 10/20/22 Page 9 of 29 PagelD #: 9
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`is made by federal court of Brooklyn NY.”
`
`12.
`
`On or about February 17, 2020, HE wrote to GE-1, following up to see if
`
`there had been any progress in locating confidential information regarding the case against
`
`Company-1: “So, dear friend, did you get anything aboutit?” GE-1 responded that he/she had
`
`not been at work yet. HE responded,“take it easy, happy holiday, and waiting for your further
`
`information.”
`
`13.
`
`—Inor about August 2021, GE-1 wrote to HE asking for direction about
`
`what information to gather: “Is there anything specific that would be helpful to know about?”
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`C. The Defendants Seek and Obtain Information to Obstruct the EDNY Prosecution
`
`
`
`14._—sIn the fall of 2021, GE-1 falsely informed the defendants that he/she was
`
`meeting with members of the EDNYprosecution team to prepare for trial against Company-1.
`
`In response, the defendants directed GE-1 to seek non-public information from the EDNY
`
`prosecution