A British businessman alleged to have spied for Beijing asked private investigators to gather “sensitive” information on some of Westminster’s most outspoken critics of China, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
John Miller, 64, of Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and his alleged handler, Cui Guanghai, 44, were arrested in Belgrade in April last year during an FBI sting. They were accused of attempting to buy American-made missile launchers, radar systems and drones for the People’s Liberation Army.
The pair were awaiting extradition to the US when they escaped house arrest and boarded a private jet bound for Beijing in the middle of the night. They have not been seen since.
If convicted of the US charges, including smuggling, stalking and violations of arms-export controls, they faced up to 40 years in prison.
The Mail on Sunday can now disclose that Miller, a recruitment specialist and father of three, asked former Scotland Yard detective Keith Hunter to prepare dossiers on seven prominent parliamentarians sanctioned by Beijing after campaigning against the persecution of Uyghur Muslims.
Messages seen by the MoS indicate that Miller asked Mr Hunter’s firm, Animus Associates Ltd, to investigate Tom Tugendhat, then chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Nusrat Ghani, Neil O’Brien, Tim Loughton, Lord Alton and Baroness Kennedy.
The correspondence shows that the work was commissioned for Fise Technology, a Hong Kong front company owned by Cui, described as a senior intelligence officer with China’s feared Ministry of State Security.
Mr Hunter asked Miller to clarify the brief, writing: “We understand that we need to look at integrity and credibility issues against all of them but is this including anything in their home lives, business, historic?”
John Miller, 64, from Tunbridge Wells, is accused by the FBI of attempting to procure weapons and spy for China
Later that evening, Miller told him they needed “something” on Mr Tugendhat and Sir Iain “to impress” the client, adding: “It doesn’t have to be dirt.” Mr Hunter, who had said he would submit a proposal, replied: “OK.”
However, two days later Miller told Mr Hunter that another team had supplied Fise with “financials and phone records” relating to the same politicians. He said the client had “closed the case” with Animus.
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Last night, former Conservative leader Sir Iain said: “I am astonished. Nobody has informed me that this was happening, that I was being targeted by this nodding donkey of the Chinese, who has now fled the country.”
There is no suggestion that Animus acted unlawfully or knew of any connection between Miller, the company and the Chinese state.
As part of its proposal, Animus produced only short biographies of the politicians using information available in the public domain.
Miller had also tasked Mr DiFiore with writing anti-American articles for Chinese readers and producing podcasts portraying the US in a negative light.
Mr DiFiore was later recruited by the FBI as a “covert human intelligence source” targeting Miller and Cui. He says he played a key role in exposing the pair’s alleged efforts to obtain American weapons.
Mr DiFiore told the MoS that he now feels betrayed by the FBI, accusing the bureau of effectively exposing his identity in an indictment filed against Miller and Cui.
The former mole claims the FBI promised him £111,000 when the operation ended, but says he has not received the money.
He told the MoS: “The FBI burnt me in a court document, and did not pay me the $150,000 they owed me. They had a sacred responsibility of duty of care, and completely abandoned that responsibility.”
On August 4 last year, Miller and Cui escaped house arrest in Belgrade, Serbia, and boarded a Chinese-owned Gulfstream jet bound for Beijing.
Last night, Animus said: “Animus had a short-lived relationship with Miller. No investigative work was produced for Mr Miller or any entity associated with him.
“When it became apparent that Mr Miller sought to engage Animus in practices that fell outside lawful open-source methods, Animus refused, refunded all monies received and terminated the relationship.”
