Spy in the US – Real estate agent arrested while trying to flee (VIDEO) | New York Post

The FBI arrested 34-year-old California real estate agent Wanyin Zhang (Heather) at Los Angeles International Airport as she attempted to flee to Shanghai. She is accused of working for Chinese intelligence, surveilling Taiwan President Lai Ching-te's son, Lai Ting-yu, by collecting photos and videos of his home in Seattle.

The FBI arrested 34-year-old California real estate agent Wanyin Zhang, known as Heather, at Los Angeles International Airport as she attempted to fly to Shanghai. She is charged with acting as an unregistered agent of the People's Republic of China. According to federal investigators, Zhang carried out orders from handlers in Beijing, specifically targeting Lai Ting-yu, the son of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, who works as an engineer in Seattle. The FBI obtained surveillance footage showing Zhang and an accomplice photographing and filming the home of the Taiwanese leader's son. Investigators also accessed Zhang's iCloud account, where they found WeChat messages confirming coordination with Chinese officials. Zhang's contacts with Chinese authorities began in September 2022, and she moved to Seattle in September 2025 to conduct surveillance. The arrest comes amid heightened US-China tensions. Zhang is scheduled to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Monday, October 5. The article cites the New York Post and quotes federal prosecutor Bill Essaili on the systematic use of Asian Americans by Chinese intelligence.