Chinese government undermining US justice system, says official

Washington [US], October 26 (ANI): In the matter of a criminal complaint, where two Chinese intelligence officers were charged with attempting to obstruct a criminal prosecution, the US Justice Department official said that the Chinese government is undermining the rule of law and is targeting the US system of justice.
This comes as two Chinese intelligence officers were charged with obstruction of Justice in a scheme to bribe US government employees and steal documents related to the federal prosecution of a Chinese company.
Defendants paid USD 61,000 in Bitcoin bribes to a double agent under the control of the FBI to obtain internal files and other non-public information related to the ongoing investigation and prosecution of a China-based Company.
The criminal complaint was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging two People's Republic of China (PRC) intelligence officers with attempting to obstruct a criminal prosecution in the Eastern District of New York. The defendants remain at large.
According to court documents, Guochun He, also known as "Dong He" and "Jacky He," and Zheng Wang, also known as "Zen Wang," allegedly orchestrated a scheme to steal files and other information from the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York.
The files were related to the ongoing federal criminal investigation and prosecution of a global telecommunications company (Company-1) based in China, including paying approximately USD 61,000 in Bitcoin bribes to a US government employee who the defendants believed had been recruited to work for the PRC, but who in fact was a double agent working on behalf of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; and Christopher Wray, Director, FBI, announced the charges.
"Today's complaint underscores the unrelenting efforts of the PRC government to undermine the rule of law," stated United States Attorney Peace.
"As alleged, the case involves an effort by PRC intelligence officers to obstruct an ongoing criminal prosecution by making bribes to obtain files from this Office and sharing them with a global telecommunications company that is a charged defendant in an ongoing prosecution. We will always act decisively to counteract criminal acts that target our system of justice."
"Far more than an effort to collect information or intelligence, the actions of the PRC intelligence officers charged in this case must be called out for what they are: an extraordinary intervention by agents of a foreign government to interfere with the integrity of the US criminal justice system, compromise a US government employee, and obstruct the enforcement of US law to benefit a PRC-based commercial enterprise," stated Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen.
"The Department of Justice will not abide nation-state actors meddling in US criminal process and investigations, and will not tolerate foreign interference with the fair administration of justice."
"The mission of the FBI is to protect both the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States--and this case represents a threat to both," stated FBI Director Wray.
"By attempting to steal documents from the Eastern District of New York, intelligence officers from the People's Republic of China threatened not just the proceedings of our criminal justice system but the very idea of justice itself. A threat to justice is a threat to the foundation of our free society, and the FBI constantly remains vigilant and committed to protecting the U.S. from these threats."
Guochun He and Zheng Wang are charged with attempting to obstruct a criminal prosecution of Company-1 in federal district court in the Eastern District of New York. Defendant He also is charged with two counts of money laundering based upon bribe payments totaling approximately USD 61,000 in Bitcoin, made in furtherance of the scheme.
According to the complaint, the defendants are PRC intelligence officers conducting foreign intelligence operations targeting the United States, on behalf of the PRC government and for the benefit of Company-1. If convicted, Guochun He faces up to 60 years of imprisonment and Wang faces up to 20 years of imprisonment. (ANI)