A California real estate agent accused of conducting surveillance on a relative of Taiwan's president on behalf of the Chinese government was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport as she attempted to board a flight to Shanghai, federal authorities announced Sunday.
Wanying Zhang, 34, of Irvine, also known as «Heather,» faces a federal charge of acting as an unregistered agent of the People's Republic of China. According to a criminal complaint, Zhang traveled to the Seattle area in September 2025 at the direction of Chinese officials and sent them photographs, videos, and license plate information of the family outside their home.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli confirmed in a statement on X that FBI Los Angeles agents arrested Zhang at LAX. «We just arrested a Chinese foreign agent at LAX attempting to depart for China,» Essayli wrote. He added that Zhang «coordinated the trip with an associate and used tradecraft to avoid detection» and «never notified the Attorney General she was acting for a foreign government, a federal offense.»
Speaking on «The Big Weekend Show» Sunday, Essayli said Zhang is a naturalized U.S. citizen and confirmed the alleged surveillance targeted a relative of Taiwan's president. «She was conducting surveillance on behalf of the Chinese government. She was acting as a foreign agent,» Essayli said. «And she was spying on a relative of the president of Taiwan here in the U.S.»
The alleged target was identified by CBS News, citing law enforcement sources, as Ting-Yu Lai, the U.S.-based son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te. The criminal complaint does not name him. According to the affidavit, Zhang messaged a Chinese government contact while outside the home: «Saw him. Young male. It's that young one.» She allegedly added, «I am videorecording,» before sending two license plate numbers.
Investigators believe Zhang received the surveillance assignment during a June 2025 meeting with a Chinese government contact in Changsha, China. «I can take care of this thing,» she allegedly told the contact. Zhang and her associate allegedly flew from Las Vegas to Seattle on Sept. 1, 2025, rented a black Nissan Rogue, and waited near the family's home. When the target returned, a neighbor's security camera captured the pair quickly sitting up and holding out what appeared to be phones to photograph or record the family, according to the affidavit. Family members, including children, arrived shortly afterward.
«While individual 1 took pictures, Zhang reclined her seat as if to avoid being seen,» FBI Special Agent Kevin Holt wrote. Days later, Zhang allegedly instructed her associate to transfer the surveillance photos through AirDrop rather than WeChat or text messages. «Seattle pictures, don't send via WeChat or text. Must be sent over the air. I have to send it back. He wants me to send it back today,» she said in an audio message described in the affidavit. Holt said he believed the instruction was intended to help avoid detection. The associate later told Zhang he had deleted the photos and cleared them from his deleted folder, which Holt described as an apparent attempt to destroy evidence.
Holt warned that information about a senior Taiwanese official's relatives, including their homes and cars, could give Beijing leverage over Taiwan's president during a potential conflict. «Engaging in surveillance of a close relative of a high-ranking member of Taiwan's government is not normal diplomatic behavior, especially inside of the United States,» he wrote.
FBI Director Kash Patel issued a warning to foreign adversaries following the arrest. «Foreign adversaries take note: America is no longer a safe place to run your espionage operations,» Patel said. «Allegedly surveil a foreign leader's family on U.S. soil for the PRC — and try to catch a flight back to Shanghai? Not happening.» He added that the FBI is «hunting threats to our national security wherever they hide — and bringing them to justice.»
Essayli warned that the threat extends beyond California. «China's very good at using people who are already here,» he said. «I don't think it's unique to California. It is happening nationwide.»
Zhang is scheduled to appear Monday in federal court in Los Angeles. Essayli noted that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The arrest comes months after former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang was charged in a separate case with acting as an agent of China involving paid efforts to spread pro-Beijing propaganda in the United States.