In a courtroom in Brooklyn, Quanzhong An, a key figure in China's "Operation Fox Hunt," faced reckoning for his role in a transnational harassment campaign. An was sentenced to 20 months in prison as United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto delivered justice for acts deemed illegal under U.S. law. In a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, United States Attorney John J. Durham condemned An's actions stating, "Quanzhong An acted at the direction of the PRC government to harass and intimidate individuals living on U.S. soil as part of a pernicious scheme to force their repatriation to the PRC."
An's connection to the Chinese government and his efforts to coerce a U.S. resident and their family to return to China under duress began in 2017 and continued until his apprehension in 2022. The sentence also includes a financial penalty of nearly $5 million, encompassing restitution to the victim and his family, and a $50,000 fine. According to court documents, An used his offspring and other PRC officials to deliver ominous messages, with one such warning stating that officials would “keep pestering [the U.S. Resident’s son], [and] make [his] daily life uncomfortable” if repatriation demands were not met, according to the same press release.
FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Leslie R. Backschies highlighted the FBI's commitment to protecting victims of international intimidation. "Threats, harassment, and intimidation – whether perpetrated by individuals or nation states – will not be tolerated in this country, and the FBI will continue to lead the charge to protect all individuals who are threatened and harassed on U.S. soil," Backschies told the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
Moreover, Judge Matsumoto took into account additional criminal conduct by An, including bank fraud and money laundering to maintain access to U.S.-based bank accounts, funneling millions from China and deceiving financial institutions about the origins and purposes of these funds. For those who suspect similar experiences of transnational repression, the FBI encourages reports via their dedicated website as a part of their broader efforts to combat such clandestine operations on American soil.
The conviction was a result of the work by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section with prosecutors Alexander Solomon, Meredith A. Arfa, and Antoinette N. Rangel at the helm. They were assisted by Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee from the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, while Claire S. Kedeshian managed forfeiture matters, and Madeline O'Connor and Daniel Saavedra assisted with restitution.
