According to a U.S. indictment, a senior New York government official secretly helped the Chinese government gain access to an official phone call about Covid-19 while maintaining a lavish lifestyle as an undercover agent for Beijing.

Over the course of about 14 years, Linda Sun climbed the career ladder and became the governor’s deputy chief of staff.

But according to federal prosecutors, the 41-year-old used her position to help Chinese officials. For example, she blocked Taiwanese diplomats from contacting the state government and secretly passed internal documents on to Beijing.

In return, China is said to have showered Sun and her husband Christopher Hu with millions of dollars in bribes that helped them buy a $4.1 million (£3.1 million) home in New York, as well as perks such as home delivery of salted duck.

They also purchased a $2.1 million ocean-view condo in Honolulu, Hawaii, and luxury cars, including a 2024 Ferrari Roma sports car, the indictment says.

The couple pleaded not guilty in federal court in Brooklyn on Tuesday to a range of charges, ranging from failure to register as a foreign agent to visa fraud and money laundering.

Under U.S. law, individuals acting for or in the interests of foreign countries or political parties must register as foreign agents.

However, Sun never did so. And according to the indictment, the Chinese-born and naturalized citizen actively concealed the fact that she was acting on the orders, requests or instructions of Chinese government officials and representatives.

In 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic spread across the state, Ms. Sun allegedly found ways for Chinese consular officials to gain access to New York City leaders.

Her efforts were so brazen, prosecutors said, that in one case she secretly inserted a Chinese official into a private Chinese government conference call discussing the public health response to the virus.

Former New York prosecutor Howard Master told the BBC the charges reflected a “disturbing” trend of senior government officials – including former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez – corruptly accepting gifts from foreign governments.

The indictment against Sun lists instances in which she attempted to prevent Taiwanese representatives from communicating with or meeting with senior U.S. government officials.

“Everything was done to satisfaction,” Ms Sun reportedly boasted in a message to a Chinese consular official in 2016 after she managed to dissuade a senior New York politician from attending an event hosted by Taiwan.

And when the island’s president traveled to New York City in 2019, she was even photographed taking part in a pro-Beijing protest against his visit.

Until January 2021, it worked behind the scenes to suppress mentions of Beijing’s detention of the Uighurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group in Xinjiang province.

When Chinese officials asked the governor if he could record a Lunar New Year video, Ms. Sun asked what “talking points” they wanted.

“Above all, holiday wishes and hopes for friendship and cooperation,” the Chinese officials wrote. “Nothing too political.”

Ms. Sun later told another Chinese official that she had argued with Ms. Hochul’s speechwriter to get a mention of the “Uighur situation” removed from a draft of the governor’s remarks.

In 2023, while working at the New York City Department of Labor, Ms. Sun received a framed official Chinese New Year proclamation from Governor Kathy Hochul and presented it to a Chinese official.

The proclamation was made outside of normal channels and even without the approval of Ms. Hochul’s office.

Ms. Sun also drafted fake invitation letters for Chinese politicians to travel to the United States and wrote an unauthorized employment contract to appoint a fellow Chinese to the New York Governor’s Asian American Advisory Council.

In return, Ms Sun and Mr Hu received “significant economic and other benefits from (Beijing) representatives,” prosecutors said.

The gifts included an all-expenses-paid trip to China, tickets to major shows, concerts and sporting events, a job in China for Sun’s cousin, and home delivery of Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by the personal chef of a Chinese government official.

According to the indictment, the duck delicacy was given to Ms. Sun on at least 16 different occasions and sent directly to her parents’ home.

On Tuesday morning, federal agents entered the couple’s Long Island home and arrested them on 10 counts of felonies.

Her lawyer, Jarrod Schaeffer, was quoted by the AP news agency as saying: “We look forward to litigating these allegations in court. Our client is understandably upset that these allegations have been made.”

A judge released the couple on bail, restricted their travel to three U.S. states and ordered Ms. Sun to avoid any contact with officials from the Chinese consulate or mission in New York.