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Shop NowChinese spy Shenghua Wen had no problem entering America in 2012, on a student visa. He simply overstayed it from 2013 until now, living comfortably below the radar in the sanctuary state of California. From his clandestine cover in the town of Ontario, he procured things for the government of North Korea. Special things like weapons and anti-eavesdropping devices. He was especially interested on getting his hands on some U.S. military uniforms. Kim Jong Un apparently has a really sneaky plan for those.
Spy arrested in California
The DOJ finally got around to issuing an announcement about a spy they caught. He had an appearance in court Tuesday, December 3. It’s not clear when Shenghua Wen was actually arrested but feds “seized 50,000 rounds of ammunition from a van parked outside Mr. Wen’s home in Ontario” back in September.
The charging documents allege he “successfully” exported “at least two shipments of weapons, ammunition and other items.”
The money came direct from North Korea. They wired him a cool $2 million to cover his shopping list. He admits acting totally under “the direction of North Korean government officials.” Because he’s technically considered an “illegal alien,” even though the Biden administration gives him a free pass, he’s still not supposed to own weapons.
There’s no way the Chinese spy could legally get “the required licenses to export to North Korea the ammunition, guns, and other devices seized at his home.”
For now, Wen has been charged with “conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.” That carries “a penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison.” The spy also had “co-conspirators.” For now they’re “unnamed.” Possibly because they’re also undercover feds.
Which could be how the FBI found out about the “two shipments of firearms and ammunition” which Wen “concealed inside shipping containers.” He had no problem getting them loaded in Long Beach on a ship for Hong Kong. From there, they were diverted to North Korea.
Electronic devices
Weapons and ammunition weren’t the only things on Wen’s list of items to procure. In August, before they grabbed the ammo, feds “seized two devices inside Mr. Wen’s home.” When questioned, the spy admitted he intended to send them to North Korea “for its military’s use.”
One was a “chemical threat identification device.” The other “a hand-held receiver that detects eavesdropping devices.” They were supposed to go with the “50,000 rounds of ammunition found in a van outside of his home in September.”
Once they got their hands on his phone, they hit the jackpot. The Federal Bureau of Instigation found “additional evidence of items he allegedly said he intended to send to North Korea, including emails and text messages about obtaining a civilian plane engine.” They want to copy it for their drones.
The court documents reveal that Wen was interviewed as early as December of 2023. The talkative spy casually mentioned North Korea wanted these items “to prepare for an attack against South Korea.”
The FBI also found “numerous images” on Mr Wen’s iPhone of “people in U.S. military uniforms,” which were intended for use in a “surprise attack on South Korea.” Under the Trump administration, Wen was ordered deported.
He managed to evade ICE until Alejandro Mayorkas took charge. When he was eventually arrested in 2021 on an unrelated issue, he “signed a form acknowledging his overstay status.” That was good enough to get him released to spy some more.
