Public Safety

FBI arrests Irvine woman at LAX on foreign-agent charge

Federal authorities arrested a 34-year-old Irvine woman at Los Angeles International Airport and charged her with allegedly acting as an unregistered agent of China.

The FBI arrested Wanying “Heather” Zhang on Sunday, October 4, before she was scheduled to leave for China, according to Reuters and ABC7 Los Angeles. Prosecutors allege that she gathered information in the United States at the direction of Chinese officials.

Complaint alleges surveillance in Seattle

Authorities allege Zhang traveled to Seattle in 2025 and collected photos, video and vehicle license-plate information involving a close relative of a Taiwanese government official, then sent that material to officials in China. Reuters reported that the alleged target was a son of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te.

Zhang was expected to appear Monday in federal court in Los Angeles. The charge is an allegation; she is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Reuters reported that it was not immediately clear whether she had an attorney.

Original reporting: Reuters → · ABC7 Los Angeles →