By NSS News | Source: U.S. DOJ
Washington, D.C. | July 1, 2025
🛰️ The Move
The Justice Department has charged two Chinese nationals with acting as unregistered agents of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), allegedly running covert operations inside the U.S. on behalf of the PRC’s Ministry of State Security (MSS).
📡 The Signal
- Arrest Locations: Yuance Chen arrested in Oregon; Liren “Ryan” Lai arrested in Texas on June 27 in coordinated FBI-led operations.
- Alleged Acts: Facilitated cash “dead drops,” gathered intelligence on U.S. Navy personnel, attempted to recruit military members for MSS.
- Years of Activity: Defendants allegedly operated from 2021 to 2025, including meetings in China with MSS handlers and infiltration attempts at U.S. naval sites.
- Criminal Charge: Acting as agents of a foreign government without notifying the U.S. Attorney General (18 U.S.C. § 951); each faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
- Investigators Involved: FBI field offices in San Francisco, Portland, Houston, San Diego; Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) assisted.
🎙️ Reactions
“We will expose foreign operatives, hold their agents to account, and protect the American people from covert threats,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
“The FBI will continue to vigilantly defend the homeland from China’s pervasive attempts to infiltrate our borders,” added FBI Director Kash Patel.
đź“š Context Line
The PRC’s MSS, responsible for foreign intelligence and political security, has intensified covert operations in the U.S., targeting military access points and critical national security sectors.
