Five Chinese agents arrested in US for targeting Beijing opponents

The Justice Department said three of those charged -- Zhu Yong, Hongru Jin and Michael McMahon -- were arrested in New York. The other two -- Rong Jing and Zheng Congying -- were arrested in California.

The other three facing charges -- Zhu Feng, Hu Ji, and Li Minjun -- remain at large.

"The Chinese government's brazen attempts to surveil, threaten, and harass our own citizens and lawful permanent residents, while on American soil, are part of China's diverse campaign of theft and malign influence in our country and around the world," FBI Director Wray said.

- Threatening note -

The Justice Department did not identify any of the individuals allegedly targeted in the operation but it provided details of some of the methods the suspects used.

In the case of a man identified only as "John Doe-1," a resident of New Jersey, the Chinese agents used a visit to the United States by the man's elderly father in an attempt to persuade him and his family to return to China.

They also conducted a campaign of surveillance and online harassment of John Doe-1's adult daughter as part of a campaign to exert pressure on John Doe-1, the Justice Department said.

In September 2018, the department said, a threatening note was affixed to the door of John Doe-1's residence stating: "If you are willing to go back to mainland and spend 10 years in prison, your wife and children will be all right. That's the end of this matter!"

The Justice Department said the charges of conspiracy to act as an agent of China carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison.