Authorities claim she conducted surveillance on Ting-Yu Lai, the son of Taiwan’s President, in Seattle, collecting information about his family and home
The FBI has arrested a California woman at Los Angeles International Airport on suspicion of acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government, US authorities said according to a report by CBS. Wanying “Heather” Zhang, 34, was arrested on Sunday as she was preparing to board a flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai.
A criminal complaint filed in federal court alleges that Zhang and an accomplice travelled to Seattle in September 2025 and conducted surveillance outside the home of the son of Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te.
US law enforcement sources identified the alleged target as Ting-Yu Lai, an engineer who lives in the US with his wife and child.
According to an FBI affidavit, Zhang allegedly photographed and recorded the family outside their home and sent information, including vehicle registration numbers, to a contact she appeared to acknowledge worked for the Chinese government.
“I can take care of this thing,” Zhang allegedly told the contact, according to the complaint.
The FBI said the messages were obtained through a search warrant for Zhang’s iCloud account. Investigators allege she was in contact with at least two people who appeared to work for the Chinese government.
FBI Special Agent Kevin Holt wrote in the complaint that information about the homes, cars and locations of relatives of senior Taiwanese officials could potentially be used by Beijing as leverage against Taiwan’s leadership during a conflict.
“If the PRC [People’s Republic of China] wish to obtain leverage over the President of Taiwan during any potential conflict, the location and pictures of the close relatives of a high-ranking Taiwanese government official, including pictures of their homes and cars, could be useful to the PRC,” Holt wrote.
The complaint alleges that Zhang was introduced to a Chinese government official in June 2025 by a former classmate from Beijing’s University of International Relations.
Investigators say she later travelled to Changsha, China, where she allegedly met the official and received instructions for the surveillance operation.
The complaint says Zhang and a man identified only as “Individual 1” flew from Las Vegas to Seattle on 1 September 2025. They allegedly rented a black Nissan Rogue and drove to the family’s home.
Neighbourhood security footage cited by the FBI allegedly showed the pair appearing to record Ting-Yu Lai, his wife and their child as they arrived home.
Zhang allegedly later sent a message saying: “Saw him. Young male. It’s that young one,” followed by “I am videorecording” and two vehicle registration numbers.
Zhang is a licensed California real-estate agent. Her husband, Edric Ding, who works at the same firm, told CBS News when contacted on Sunday: “I don’t know anything yet.” He declined to comment further.
The FBI arrest comes amid longstanding tensions between China and Taiwan. Beijing claims Taiwan as part of China, while Taiwan maintains its own government and democratic political system.
Taiwan is also a major centre for semiconductor manufacturing and sits along important shipping routes in East Asia.
Chinese authorities have previously been accused by US prosecutors of conducting surveillance and harassment operations against dissidents and other opponents of the Chinese government in the United States.