A federal complaint alleges that a California realtor monitored Lai Ting-yu at the direction of Chinese officials; the allegations have not been proven in court.
U.S. authorities have accused 34-year-old Wanying “Heather” Zhang of surveilling Lai Ching-te’s son during a 2025 visit to a Seattle suburb. A federal criminal complaint alleges that Zhang monitored Lai Ting-yu at the direction of Chinese officials. She was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport while preparing to board a flight to Shanghai.
CBS News reported that investigators reviewed messages, surveillance video and Zhang’s trips to China. The report also examined her participation in events organized by Chinese-American groups, including a 2023 San Francisco event during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit. CBS said it had found no evidence that Zhang took part in assaults on protesters during that visit.
The case concerns alleged activity on behalf of Chinese officials; the accusations are not proof of guilt. The court materials described by CBS present investigators’ claims, which Zhang can challenge in court. Taiwan’s presidential office told CBS it was following the case. China’s foreign ministry, responding to NBC, said it opposed what it called hyped-up accusations.
The Associated Press and Reuters have also reported the arrest and allegations, citing court documents. Their accounts corroborate the basic circumstances of the case, while its legal outcome remains for the court to determine.