‘Saw him, young male’: US realtor's 'creepy' texts expose China's bid to spy on Taiwan President’s son

Wanying Zhang, 34, a California realtor, was arrested on October 4 at the Los Angeles Airport on charges of spying for China in the US. She is accused of acting as an unregistered agent of China and spying on a “close relative of a Taiwanese government official” in the US, First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli said Sunday in a post on X.

Wanying Zhang, aka “Heather,” 34, of Irvine, was arrested on a federal complaint charging her with acting as an unregistered agent of the People’s Republic of China. (X/@USAttyEssayli)Zhang allegedly surveilled Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te's “son and his family — filming their home, vehicles, and reporting information back to (People’s Republic of China) handlers”, the FBI said on its rapid-response account on X.

Zhang travelled to Seattle in 2025 and, acting at the direction of Chinese officials, sent “photos, videos, and license plate information to those officials”, Essayli said.

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A text exchange over WeChat, China’s messaging app, allegedly reveals that Zhang was surveilling Ting-Yu Lai, an engineer in the US and son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te. A leaked conversation from September 2025, published by the New York Post, shows Zhang chatting with a Chinese official after spotting the president’s son.

ZHANG: Saw him. Young male. It’s that young one.

PRC Official 2: Are you free for an audio call?

ZHANG:[Redacted License Plate #1], [Redacted License Plate #2]. Two license plates.

She allegedly flew to Seattle on September 1, 2025, rented a black Nissan and drove to Lai’s son’s home, according to a court document seen by AFP.

Images from a neighbour’s security camera included in the complaint allegedly show Zhang and her associate “appearing to film” the family as they arrived home one evening, CBS News reported.

Zhang is expected to make her initial appearance in federal court on Monday.

Lai, who was elected president in January 2024, has been an outspoken defender of Taiwan’s sovereignty and is strongly opposed by Chinese leaders.

Lai’s office condemned the “barbaric acts”, confirming that the president’s family had been targeted.

“Such behaviour should not be tolerated in the civilised world,” Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo said in a statement, thanking US judicial authorities for “their assistance and protection of our citizens”.

Shubham Pandey works as Chief Content Producer at the Hindustan Times online desk, where he writes news articles, explainers, and features with a focus on audience engagement, traffic growth, and real-time storytelling. With over a decade of experience across journalism, digital newsrooms, and strategic communications, he brings a strong understanding of online journalism, particularly in leveraging SEO, search trends, and live blogs to drive sustained reader engagement. Previously, he led the sports team at Zee News English, strengthening editorial operations while delivering measurable growth in readership. His reporting experience includes assignments with Firstpost, where he covered sports with a strong narrative focus. Shubham has worked across both startups and large media organisations, including building a sports website from the ground up in a startup environment—demonstrating versatility and leadership. His stint as Senior Account Manager at Edelman India further expanded his expertise in strategic communications, brand storytelling, and reputation management. Across roles, he specialises in content planning, writing, and crafting credible narratives for diverse audiences. He has collaborated with former international cricketers Cheteshwar Pujara, Nick Knight, and Danny Morrison to create compelling, high-impact sports content, blending editorial depth with mass appeal. When he is not writing news or watching sports, he enjoys exploring films from around the world.Read More