Fang Fang

Declassified FBI records show suspected Chinese spy used nonprofit to infiltrate U.S. political offices

Newly declassified FBI files reveal that a suspected Chinese intelligence operative used an Asian American civic nonprofit to build relationships with U.S. politicians, place interns in congressional offices, and funnel illegal campaign donations, and one California Democrat admitted to a sexual relationship with her.

Fang "Christine" Fang arrived in the United States around 2011 on a student visa, after attending Beijing's University of International Relations, a school Chinese media reports have linked to China's Ministry of State Security.

Within a few years, she had embedded herself in the Asian Pacific American Public Affairs organization, known as APAPA, a nonprofit that says its mission is to advance Asian and Pacific Islander communities "through increased leadership and civic engagement." The FBI came to suspect Fang was using that mission as cover for something far less civic-minded.

The bureau opened a predicated investigation codenamed "Freshman Fifteen" on March 17, 2014, targeting both Fang and then-Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., for potential campaign finance violations and quid pro quo exchanges involving internships, Just The News reported.

The declassified memos were released by the White House Government Transparency Task Force as part of a broader effort to expose foreign threats to U.S. political systems.

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