Chinese Spy Duo Allegedly Tried to Obstruct Huawei Investigation

The Justice Department has announced charges against a Chinese spy duo, accusing them of attempting to obstruct a US investigation into the telecommunications giant Huawei. The defendants Guochum He and Zheng Wang were accused of working on behalf of the Chinese government to obtain confidential information and trial evidence related to a Justice Department investigation into Huawei. US law enforcement officials declined to name the company. However, CNN and The Wall Street Journal reported that the case concerns Huawei.

Chinese Spy Duo Allegedly Tried to Obstruct Huawei Investigation

“This case exposes the interconnection between PRC intelligence officers & Chinese companies, and it demonstrates, once again, why such companies — especially in the telecommunications industry — should not be trusted to securely handle our sensitive personal data and communications,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said during a press conference.

In the complaint, the US claims He and Wang attempted to recruit a law enforcement employee to work on behalf of the Chinese government. Moreover, they were obtaining information related to the US’s ongoing investigation against Huawei.

Additionally, the employee gave the Chinese defendants a photo of a false classified document related to the Huawei case. The official received $41,000 in Bitcoin after delivering the document. The defendants repeatedly tried to bribe the employee with thousands of dollars in cash and jewellery.

The cold war between Huawei and the US has been active for the last few years. The US had been trying to stop using Huawei devices due to security issues. However, this war became severe when Donald Trump ordered all US firms to prevent any trading with Huawei.

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