FBI agents arrested a 34-year-old Irvine woman at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday as she was preparing to fly to Shanghai, China. Federal prosecutors accuse Wanying “Heather” Zhang of acting as an unregistered agent for the People’s Republic of China and surveilling Ting-Yu Lai, the son of Taiwan President Ching-Te Lai, at the direction of Chinese officials.
Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S. attorney, announced Zhang’s arrest on X.
Essayli said Zhang was taken into custody by the FBI’s Los Angeles office while attempting to leave the United States. According to an affidavit, she traveled to Seattle in 2025 to monitor a close relative of a Taiwanese government official, allegedly forwarding photographs, videos and vehicle license plate details to Chinese officials. Prosecutors also claim she worked with an associate and used covert methods intended to avoid detection. Essayli said Zhang did not disclose to the attorney general that she was working on behalf of a foreign government, which would constitute a federal crime. Her initial appearance in Los Angeles federal court was scheduled for the following day. The allegations remain unproven, and defendants are presumed innocent unless convicted.
— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) October 4, 2026
In his post, Essayli wrote:
Essayli said federal authorities had arrested Wanying “Heather” Zhang, 34, of Irvine, at LAX as she attempted to board a flight to China. The criminal complaint accuses her of serving as an unregistered agent of the People’s Republic of China.
The affidavit alleges that Zhang went to Seattle in 2025 at the request of Chinese officials and tracked a close family member of a Taiwanese government representative. Investigators say she provided her contacts with photographs, video footage and license plate information.
Authorities further allege that Zhang planned the Seattle trip with another person and employed tactics designed to conceal her activities. The complaint says she never registered with the attorney general as an agent for a foreign government, as required under federal law.
Zhang was expected to appear in federal court in Los Angeles for an initial hearing. She remains presumed innocent unless the government proves the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
Zhang and her husband, Edric Ding, work as Realtors at JC Pacific Capital in Irvine. The company’s website indicates that it primarily serves Chinese buyers; 186 of its 187 listed agents have Chinese names. The firm also provides mortgage, escrow and property-management services.
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CBS News reviewed the criminal complaint and an accompanying affidavit from FBI Special Agent Kevin Holt. The filings include messages Zhang allegedly exchanged with a Chinese government handler through WeChat, with copies of the communications stored in her iCloud account.
The complaint says Zhang was connected with a Chinese official in June 2025 through a former classmate from Beijing’s University of International Relations. Holt described the university as having close links to China’s Ministry of State Security.
During a June 2025 visit to Changsha, China, Zhang allegedly reserved a private room where she met the official and was given instructions for the surveillance assignment, according to Holt’s affidavit.
The complaint says Zhang later assured the official in a message, “I can take care of this thing.”
On Aug. 26, 2025, Zhang reportedly told the official she expected to be occupied with work in Los Angeles before traveling to Seattle the following week. The official responded, “Ok. Thank you for your hard work,” according to the filing.
Investigators allege that Zhang flew from Las Vegas to Seattle on Sept. 1, 2025, accompanied by a man identified only as “Individual 1” in the complaint. After renting a vehicle, they drove to a suburban residence associated with Ting-Yu Lai. Zhang allegedly recorded Lai, his wife and their young child as they arrived, then sent her handler photographs, video and two license plate numbers.
Ding was not accompanying Zhang at LAX. Reached at his home by CBS News on Sunday, he said, “I don’t know anything yet,” and declined to provide additional comment.
Zhang’s first federal court appearance was set for Monday in Los Angeles.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and his administration’s bold leadership, the United States is once again respected around the world, and hostile nations are being warned.
