By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell Book
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN
SDNY COURTHOUSE, May 13 – Zhongsan Liu was indicted in 2019 for stealth recruitment in the US for the Chinese government. His trial began on March 15, and Inner City Press was there.
Liu was working for or through the "China Association for International Exchange of Personnel" or CAIEP.
On March 15 an Australian expert Alexander Joske told the jury that CAIEP is a Chinese government organ, though it (like many at the United Nations) calls itself a non governmental organization.
He also testified about SEFEA, the Chinese State Administration for Foreign Expert Affairs.
Lui's lawyer wanted to voir dire at least part of Joske's expertise. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Valerie E. Caproni said it could be done after the jurors left at 5 pm. She told the jurors, If there is any press, which I doubt there will be, don't read it.
Inner City Press published the above that evening, and on March 16 asked EDNY US Attorney Brion Peace about his Office's indictment of five more for spying and worse for China, see here including the release on bail of
Fan “Frank” Liu, Matthew Ziburis and Shujun Wang.
In the SDNY trial of Zhongsan Lui, an FBI agent testified about pole camera footage from outside 807-809 Anderson Avenue and a woman in a green or shiny black jacket. The judge asked how having a relationship with her would be prejudicial and should be kept from the jury.
Late on March 17, Liu's lawyer wrote to Judge Caproni complaining that the US had only just disclosed it might rest its case on March 18, and said the defense case should not have to begin until March 22.
Past 4 pm on March 18, on the witness stand was a witness about the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government, with a Liang Xiao document on the screens before the jurors.
On March 21, after the US Attorney's Office rested its case, Liu's lawyer was arguing to get into evidence, and into his upcoming closing argument, a recorded call with the vice provost of U Mass Boston. It was all for naught, for the defendant and China's scheme: "ZHONGSAN LIU was convicted of participating in a conspiracy to defraud the United States by obstructing the lawful functions of the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security and with committing visa fraud."
After Liu's remand on risk of flight grounds, his lawyers on March 25 requested reconsideration and the US on March 29 opposed, calling Liu a government official with no ties to the US.
Judge Caproni set a faster than normal sentencing date: "Docket Text: ORDER as to Zhongsan Liu. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Mr. Liu is scheduled for sentencing on Friday, May 13, 2022 at 11:30 a.m., in Courtroom 443, Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse, 40 Foley Square, New York, NY 10007. Sentencing submissions from the parties are due not later than Friday, May 6, 2022. The parties will receive an expedited Presentence Investigation Report prior to the deadline for sentencing submissions, and, should they have any objections to the report, they may make them directly to the Court at sentencing (Sentencing set for 5/13/2022."
On May 13, the sentence was imposed: "JUDGMENT IN A CRIMINAL CASE as to Zhongsan Liu (1). The Defendant was found guilty on count 1 after a plea of not guilty. IMPRISONMENT: Ten (10) months. The Court recommends that the defendant be designated to the minimum security satellite camp at FCI Fort Dix. SUPERVISED RELEASE: None. Defendant will be deported at the end of the sentence." Inner City Press will continue to cover these cases. Watch this site.
The case is US v. Liu, 19-cr-804 (Caproni).
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