US investigators arrested Wanying Zhang at Los Angeles airport and charged her with acting as an unregistered foreign agent. They allege she collected images and vehicle information about Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s son and his family near Seattle for Chinese officials. A federal court appearance is planned; the accusations remain unproven.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Wanying Zhang at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday before a planned flight to China. The 34-year-old resident of Irvine, California, faces a federal charge of acting for a foreign government without notifying US authorities. Prosecutor Bill Essayli said she was due to appear in a Los Angeles federal court on Monday.[1], [2]
The criminal complaint alleges that Zhang and an unnamed companion travelled to Seattle in September 2025 and filmed the home of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s son and his family. US authorities say she sent photographs, video and vehicle registration information to Chinese officials. The allegations remain unproven in court.[1], [2]
CBS News matched security-camera images included in the complaint to an address owned by the son near Seattle. The FBI affidavit says WeChat messages were obtained through a search warrant for Zhang’s iCloud account.[2]
Zhang’s husband Edric Ding told CBS he did not yet know the details and declined further comment. It was unclear whether she had an attorney. Taiwan’s president rejects Beijing’s claim that the island belongs to China; Washington has no formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but is legally committed to providing means for its defence.[2], [1]
