California realtor nabbed at LAX in alleged China spy case targeting Taiwan president’s relative

What happened: Federal authorities arrested Wanying Zhang, 34, of Irvine, California, at LAX as she tried to board a flight to Shanghai. She is charged with acting as an unregistered agent of the People's Republic of China. Key numbers: Zhang is 34. The alleged surveillance trip was on Sept. 1, 2025. Why it matters: Prosecutors say the alleged surveillance targeted a relative of Taiwan's president on U.S. soil. The FBI director said foreign adversaries should note that America is no longer a safe place to run espionage operations.

Federal authorities arrested Wanying Zhang, 34, of Irvine, California, at LAX as she tried to board a flight to Shanghai. She is charged with acting as an unregistered agent of the People's Republic of China.

Prosecutors say the alleged surveillance targeted a relative of Taiwan's president on U.S. soil. The FBI director said foreign adversaries should note that America is no longer a safe place to run espionage operations.