Washington | July 8, 2025
Xu Zewei, a suspected cyber operative for China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), has been arrested in Italy by FBI agents from the Houston field office, marking a rare capture of a Chinese-linked intelligence hacker.
Core Facts:
- Xu Zewei allegedly worked for the MSS, China’s primary civilian intelligence agency.
- He was detained in Italy in coordination with U.S. authorities.
- The FBI’s Houston office led the arrest, highlighting ongoing global efforts to counter Chinese cyber espionage.
- U.S. officials say Xu was involved in state-sponsored hacking campaigns targeting sensitive American infrastructure and data.
- “This is a major step in disrupting the global operations of PRC intelligence-linked hackers,” an official familiar with the case said.
Context Line: The arrest signals growing international cooperation against China’s cyber operations and a new willingness to pursue its operatives abroad.
