A New York federal jury has reached an impasse in the high‑profile trial of former Gov. Kathy Hochul aide Linda Sun, who was accused of acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government and enriching herself through illegal financial schemes.
Sun and her husband, Chris Hu, faced a 19‑count indictment in the U.S. District Court in Brooklyn on charges including money‑laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and misuse of means of identification. Prosecutors alleged the couple used laundered funds to purchase a $4.1 million home in Manhasset, Long Island, a $2.1 million condominium in Hawaii, luxury vehicles, and other high‑end items.
Shortly before a fourth day of deliberations was set to begin, the jury sent a note to U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan saying it “remains unable to reach a unanimous verdict” on the charges. The panel wrote that “no progress can be made to change any jurors’ judgment on all counts” and that there were “fundamental differences on the evidence and the interpretation of the law.” As a result, jurors were discharged and the trial ended without a verdict.
The federal government announced it plans to retry the case “as soon as possible.” A status hearing on the retrial schedule was set for later in the week.
Sun, who served as deputy chief of staff to Hochul, was arrested in September 2024 at her Long Island home. In addition to the allegations involving unregistered foreign agent activity, she and her husband were charged with visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money‑laundering conspiracy, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
Prosecutors told the court they believe the couple accepted millions of dollars in financial benefits in exchange for advancing the interests of the Chinese government while Sun was a senior official in New York state government. They presented evidence that Sun allegedly bragged to her handlers in Beijing about how effective she was in advancing their agenda.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Solomon said during closing arguments that the evidence showed a “clear pattern of corruption,” asserting that Sun “betrayed the state of New York to enrich herself.”
Sun’s defense argued that she was acting within the scope of her duties and that her work to engage with New York’s Asian community and improve relations was legitimate. “Linda Sun did what she was hired to do,” attorney Jarrod Schaeffer told the jury, describing her service to the state over more than a decade.
Gov. Hochul has publicly distanced herself from Sun, saying her administration reported evidence of misconduct to federal authorities and cooperated with the investigation. With the jury unable to agree on a verdict, the case now moves toward a retrial that will give prosecutors another opportunity to present their case and seek convictions on the serious charges.
