Judge Declares Mistrial in New York Chinese Influence Case, Retrial Planned

A federal judge in New York has declared a mistrial in the case of a former aide to two New York governors accused of acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government and receiving kickbacks to influence state policy.

Judge Brian Cogan of the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York made the ruling on Monday after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict following about a week of deliberations. The trial was held in Brooklyn.

The defendant, Linda Sun, a former aide to former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Governor Kathy Hochul, is charged alongside her husband, Christopher Hu. Prosecutors allege the couple engaged in influence operations on behalf of China and committed additional offences, including money laundering, bank fraud and tax evasion.

Addressing the court, prosecutor Alexander A. Solomon said the government intends to retry the case as soon as possible. A legal conference involving lawyers from both sides has been scheduled for January 26.

Sun and Hu have pleaded not guilty to the charges. The case has drawn significant attention amid heightened scrutiny of alleged foreign influence operations targeting US state and local governments.