Tampa Republic

Ping Li, 59, of Wesley Chapel, Florida, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to act as an agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) without notification to the Attorney General.

According to the plea agreement and other court filings, the PRC’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) is responsible for civilian intelligence collection for the PRC. The MSS often uses “cooperative contacts” located in countries outside of the PRC to further their intelligence goals. These goals include obtaining information concerning foreign corporate or industrial matters, foreign politicians or intelligence officers, and information about PRC political dissidents residing in those countries. These cooperative contacts assist the MSS by conducting research on topics of interest to the PRC that can be used to further the MSS’s mission.

Li was a United States citizen who immigrated from the PRC. At various times, Li worked for a major U.S. telecommunications company and an international information technology company.

Li admitted that from at least as early as 2012, he served as a cooperative contact working at the direction of MSS officers to obtain information of interest to the PRC government. Li obtained a wide variety of information at the request of the MSS, including details about Chinese dissidents and pro-democracy advocates, members of the Falun Gong religious movement and U.S.-based non-governmental organizations. He reported this information back to the MSS. Li also provided information obtained from his employer and used anonymous online accounts for communicating with MSS officers while traveling to meet them in person.

For example, in August 2012, an MSS officer requested that Li provide information about practitioners of Falun Gong and pro-democracy advocates in the United States. Less than a week after receiving this request, Li sent biographical details about an individual affiliated with Falun Gong residing in St. Petersburg, Florida.

In March 2015, an MSS officer requested information from Li about branch offices that his employer had opened in China. Three weeks later, Li responded with this information.

In March 2017, an MSS officer requested a training instruction plan from Li. In April 2017, Li uploaded materials to an online account shared with this officer and asked him to delete them after reading.

In May 2021, an MSS officer requested information concerning hacking events targeting U.S. companies. Within four days, Li responded with this data.

In March 2022, an MSS officer requested details about Li’s new employer and cybersecurity training materials. That same day, Li sent both sets of requested information.

In June 2022, an MSS officer sought details about an individual who had fled from China to reside in the United States. That same day, Li provided data about property owners associated with that address.

If convicted, Li faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the National Security Division; Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch; and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made this announcement.

The FBI is investigating this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Karyna Valdes for the Middle District of Florida along with Trial Attorney Scott Claffee from the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting.

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