New York, United States

The United States on Thursday (October 20) unveiled criminal accusations against seven Chinese nationals who were accused of conducting a surveillance and harassment campaign against a US resident and his family, in an effort to deport them to China. 

Advertisment

Quanzhong An, 55, of Roslyn, New York, his 34-year-old daughter Guangyang An and five others, are the seven people accused. 

Also read | China: Family appeals for justice in 14-year-old's death who was sent to a Covid quarantine facility

The Justice Department's most recent case focuses on China's alleged immigration programme, known as "Operation Fox Hunt," and it includes an eight-count indictment that was unsealed in a US district court. 

Advertisment

China and the United States do not share an extradition agreement.

Quanzhong is the principal suspect and he along with his daughter was taken into custody. The former has been charged with conspiring with China's Provisional Commission for Discipline Inspection to intimidate and harass a Chinese man and his son who lived in the US. 

The man and his son were identified as John Doe-1 and John Doe-2. To get John Doe-1 to come back to China, his relative was forced to come from here to the US for the scheme.

Advertisment

Also read | China’s new era dawns in Manchester

The relative further told John Doe-2 that he was forced by the Chinese government to go there. 

Another prosecution of the family was a writing campaign that "coming back and giving yourself in is the only way."

As per a New York state court, the father allegedly stole money from a Chinese employer and his son also made illicit gains. 

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE