Quanzhong An has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for acting as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in a federal court in Brooklyn. United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto handed down the sentence, which also includes a financial penalty of approximately $5 million. This amount covers around $1.3 million in restitution to the victim, referred to as the U.S. Resident, and his family, along with a $50,000 fine.
An was charged in October 2022 and pleaded guilty in May 2024 for his role in "Operation Fox Hunt," a campaign directed by the PRC aimed at coercing repatriation of individuals residing outside China. The case was announced by John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Sue Bai, Supervisory Official from the Justice Department’s National Security Division; and Leslie R. Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge at the FBI's New York Field Office.
"Quanzhong An acted at the direction of the PRC government to harass and intimidate individuals living on U.S. soil as part of a pernicious scheme to force their repatriation to the PRC," said Attorney Durham. He emphasized that collective efforts led to thwarting this scheme and bringing An to justice.
Backschies added that "for years, Quanzhong An threatened, harassed, and attempted to intimidate a U.S. resident and his family at the behest of the People’s Republic of China." She affirmed that today's sentencing represents justice for the victim and demonstrates FBI's commitment to protecting all victims of transnational repression.
Court documents revealed that An was involved in threatening and intimidating actions against a U.S. resident starting from 2017 until his arrest in 2022. His actions were intended to elevate his status within China's government while advancing his economic interests.
Judge Matsumoto also considered additional criminal conduct during sentencing: bank fraud and money laundering schemes aimed at defrauding U.S financial institutions.
The FBI encourages victims who have experienced stalking or intimidation by foreign governments within U.S borders to report such incidents through their website dedicated to counterintelligence efforts against transnational repression.
The case is being managed by several sections within the Office's National Security Division with assistance from attorneys specializing in asset recovery and financial litigation programs.