California Woman Charged with Unregistered Foreign Agent Activities for China

A California woman faces charges for allegedly acting as an unregistered agent for China, according to federal prosecutors.

Editorial Desk

October 5, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — Irvine, California — A 34-year-old California woman has been charged with acting as an unregistered agent for China, according to officials in the Central District of California.

The FBI arrested Wanying “Heather” Zhang following allegations that she surveilled a close relative of a Taiwanese government official during a 2025 trip to Seattle. The U.S. Attorney’s office cited an affidavit in its statement about the case.

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Zhang is accused of coordinating the surveillance with an associate and using tactics to avoid detection. She did not inform the Attorney General that she was working on behalf of a foreign government, which is a federal violation. She is scheduled to appear in Los Angeles federal court for her initial hearing tomorrow. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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