Operation Fox Hunt trial: Retired NYPD sergeant helped Chinese spies stalk and threaten dissidents

A former NYPD sergeant is accused of helping Chinese spies embedded in New York and New Jersey track down dissidents on behalf of their government and threaten to harm their families unless they return to the “homeland” to going to jail as part of a program called Operation Fox Hunt.

Michael McMahon is on trial in New York City along with Zhu Yong and Zheng Congying, who act as Chinese agents to track down dissidents who have fled and intimidate them into returning.

The trial began today with opening statements from US federal prosecutors.

McMahon was working as a private investigator after retiring from the NYPD when he was contracted by the Chinese government to track down and intimidate victim Xu Jin, prosecutors said.

Zhu Yong leaves Brooklyn Federal Court for an Operation Fox Hunt trial in New York on May 31, 2023

Zheng Congying leaves Brooklyn Federal Court, Brooklyn, New York, for his Operation Fox Hunt trial

In 2018, Zheng Congying traveled to the man’s home in New Jersey and taped a note to his door that read, “If you are willing to go back to the homeland and spend 10 years in prison, your wife and children will be safe and well. .’

All three deny the allegations and claim to have no idea they worked for the Chinese government.

McMahon claimed he thought he was working for a Chinese construction company and says the fact that he informed authorities about his work proves it.

In opening statements to a federal jury, McMahon’s attorney Lawrence Lustberg said, “If he’s secretly acting on behalf of the Chinese government, is he going to call the police and tell them?”

“He had no idea, no… that he was working for China.”

In 2018, Zheng Congying traveled to the man’s home in New Jersey and posted a note on his door

The note read: “If you are willing to go back to the homeland and spend 10 years in prison, your wife and children will be safe and well”

Some of the spy equipment found in one of the agent’s luggage, including night vision goggles

Prosecutor Irisa Chen said McMahon looked up the target’s name on the job and even met a Chinese official, suggesting he saw through the “vague” cover story.

McMahon knew this wasn’t the real reason. He looked the other way.’

Lawyers for Zhu and Zheng, both Chinese nationals and New York City residents, also said their clients were unaware they were working for the Chinese government

According to a 2021 ProPublica investigation, Xu had headed the municipal development department of the Chinese city of Wuhan before being accused of taking millions of dollars in bribes.

Michael McMahon outside a federal court in Brooklyn during his trial

Yong Zhu leaves the Brooklyn Federal Court, Brooklyn, while on trial as part of Operation Fox Hunt

Zheng Congying was spotted outside a Brooklyn courthouse as he faces trial for allegedly acting as a Chinese spy

In her opening statement, Chen did not refer to Xu by name, only referring to him as a former Chinese government official who came to the United States in 2010 after falling out of favor with the ruling Chinese Communist Party. The Chinese government subsequently issued an international notice for his arrest, Chen said.

Xu was mentioned by name by the first witness, his sister-in-law Liu Yan. She testified that at two separate points in 2016, individuals she did not know came to her home in Short Hills, New Jersey and told her that Xu should go back to China.

“I felt very scared,” she said.

Then, in early 2017, Xu’s elderly father, who lived in China and did not know her address in the US, showed up unannounced at Liu’s house and told her that he had a “duty” to persuade Xu to go back to China.

Chen said in her opening statement that Xu’s father was used as “bait”.

“I can’t believe the Chinese government’s law enforcement officers used an elderly man to achieve their goal,” Liu testified.