Bronx man convicted of running secret Chinese police station in Manhattan used to monitor dissidents

A New York antheral was convicted Wednesday of helping run a concealed Chinese government-linked constabulary presumption successful Manhattan utilized to show dissidents, national prosecutors said.

Lu Jianwang, 64, a U.S. national besides known arsenic "Harry Lu" from the Bronx, was convicted by a assemblage connected 2 counts related to operating an overseas constabulary presumption successful New York City connected behalf of China’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS), arsenic good arsenic obstruction of justness for destroying evidence.

According to prosecutors, Lu and his co-defendant, Chen Jinping, acted arsenic amerciable agents of the Chinese authorities opening successful 2022 and established what authorities described arsenic the archetypal known overseas Chinese constabulary presumption successful the United States.

Chen pleaded blameworthy successful 2024 to conspiring to enactment arsenic an cause of the People’s Republic of China successful transportation with the operation.

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Lu Jianwang stands with his lawyer, John Carman, extracurricular a U.S. courthouse successful Brooklyn, New York, connected Wednesday, May 13, 2026, pursuing his condemnation of acting arsenic an amerciable overseas cause for China. (AP Photo/Michael R. Sisak)

Prosecutors said the presumption operated retired of an bureau gathering successful Lower Manhattan, wherever investigators recovered a bluish banner reading: "Fuzhou Police Overseas Service Station, New York, USA."

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella Jr. said the condemnation disrupted a Chinese authorities cognition connected American soil.

"A constabulary presumption operating successful New York City astatine the absorption of the Chinese authorities has been exposed, its sinister intent disrupted, and its laminitis held accountable for blatantly disregarding the instrumentality and our country’s sovereignty," helium said successful a statement. 

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Supporters of Lu Jianwang, besides known arsenic Harry Lu, basal extracurricular a national courthouse earlier the opening of his proceedings successful New York, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

"Our Office remains resolute successful protecting the rights of radical seeking state from repression and speaking retired to bring democracy, reform, and quality rights to China," helium added.

James C. Barnacle Jr., adjunct manager successful complaint of the FBI’s New York tract office, said the verdict should nonstop a connection to overseas agents operating successful the U.S.

"May today’s verdict nonstop a connection to different overseas agents – the FBI maintains its unwavering resoluteness to uncover and disrupt the clandestine operations of adversarial nations," helium said successful a statement.

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Prosecutors said the Manhattan outpost was portion of a broader Chinese authorities effort to show and intimidate dissidents abroad, including successful the United States.

According to the DOJ, Lu gathered accusation for the Chinese government, including helping find a pro-democracy activistic who fled China for the United States.

The FBI searched the outpost successful October 2022 and seized phones belonging to Lu and Chen. Investigators aboriginal discovered WeChat messages betwixt the men and their Chinese authorities handler had been deleted.

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Lu Jianwang waits to participate a national courthouse successful New York, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Prosecutors said Lu admitted to FBI agents that helium established the Manhattan outpost, communicated with his handler done WeChat and deleted the messages.

Lu spoke concisely to supporters extracurricular national tribunal pursuing the verdict but declined to reply questions from reporters.

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His lawyer argued the outpost functioned arsenic a assemblage halfway wherever Chinese residents could renew driver’s licenses and stitchery socially.

"This is not espionage. This is not spying. This is not quality gathering," lawyer John Carman said extracurricular the courthouse. "He wasn’t charged with immoderate of that."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.