A California woman, Wanying Zhang, also known as Heather, is taken by the FBI after they arrested her and the U.S. authorities accused her of spying on a son of Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te at the behest of Chinese officials, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. on October 4, 2026. | Photo Credit: Reuters
U.S. authorities arrested a California woman on Sunday (October 4, 2026) and accused her of spying on a son of Taiwan's President at the behest of Chinese officials, the FBI said.
The FBI arrested Wanying Zhang, also known as Heather, at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday (October 4) before her planned departure to China, the agency said in a statement. Authorities charged Zhang, 34, of Irvine, California, with acting as an unregistered foreign agent.
Zhang surveiled a son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, the FBI said. The agency did not directly name Zhang's alleged target, but later shared a New York Post report identifying him as Lai Ting-yu, a U.S. resident.
The Justice Department said Zhang travelled to Seattle in 2025 at the direction of Chinese officials and subsequently sent them photos, video and license plate information of the Taiwanese leader's son and his family.
Zhang used tradecraft to avoid detection and never notified Washington that she was acting for a foreign government, Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, said in a statement.
A California woman, Wanying Zhang, also known as Heather, who is arrested by the FBI and the U.S. authorities accused her of spying on a son of Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te at the behest of Chinese officials, in this headshot taken at an unidentified location, released on October 4, 2026. | Photo Credit: Reuters
The Chinese embassy in Washington and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It was not immediately clear whether Zhang has a defense attorney. She will appear on Monday (October 5) in a Los Angeles federal court, Essayli said.
Mr. Lai and his Democratic Progressive Party champion Taiwan's separate identity from China, a position that frequently angers Beijing, which views the island as Chinese territory.
Washington does not have formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, but the United States is the island's most important international backer and weapons supplier.
Published - October 05, 2026 09:23 am IST