California Realtor Accused of Acting as Unregistered Agent for China
California realtor Wanying ‘Heather’ Zhang has been accused of being a Chinese agent. Three years before her arrest, Zhang was seen in San Francisco during President Xi Jinping’s visit. She was photographed wearing a red cap alongside a leader of a Chinese-American organization with ties to Beijing’s foreign influence operations.
Pro-Chinese Communist Party activists later assaulted protesters of Xi’s regime, though Zhang isn’t alleged to have participated in these attacks. Now, at age 34, she is facing federal charges for allegedly surveilling the Taiwanese president’s son in Washington, directed by Chinese officials. The FBI reportedly has her text messages with Chinese intelligence, revealing plans to secretly film Lai Ting-yu and his family in Seattle.
A CBS News investigation draws parallels between Zhang and another suspected spy, Fang ‘Christine’ Fang, who was linked to former Congressman Eric Swalwell before fleeing amidst an FBI probe. Both attended Beijing’s University of International Relations, linked to China’s intelligence agency.
After moving to the U.S., Zhang obtained her real estate license in 2016. With JC Pacific Corp, she listed over 130 properties, ranging from hundreds of thousands to over $8 million. Zhang and her husband bought a $5.65 million home in 2024, later selling it for $6 million.
On Instagram, Zhang shares images of herself in designer clothes, dining at upscale venues, and shopping in Paris. She participated in Chinese-American advocacy groups and events. In 2022, she attended an event with Chinese consulate officials and received a ‘young entrepreneur’ award for Chinese young elites in the U.S.
Her involvement with the All American Chinese Association (AACA) connected her with officials tied to the Chinese government. AACA’s leader, Cai Chenghua, was a vice chair of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, closely linked to Beijing. In 2023, Zhang was photographed with Cai during a pro-China gathering in San Francisco.
AACA board member Tian Jun has connections with the Chinese government’s United Front. Cai’s ties to former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang, who pleaded guilty to acting as a Chinese agent, suggest deeper links. Jacqueline Deal from State Armor highlighted that U.S.-based groups linked to the United Front continue appearing in foreign-agent cases.
Prosecutors claim Zhang fully embraced a role as a Chinese government agent by 2025. She traveled to China and communicated with a government official via WeChat, discussing a Taiwanese official’s address. A later visit allegedly resulted in receiving her mission to surveil Lai.
Zhang allegedly responded to her handler, ‘I can take care of this thing.’ After conducting surveillance, she returned to LA without issue. She was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport while trying to board a flight to Shanghai on Oct. 4, 2026.
Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI described Zhang’s actions as part of a plot by the Chinese government to target close relatives of a Taiwanese official. The Taiwanese president condemned the actions and expressed gratitude for U.S. judicial assistance. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated China opposes any allegations of ‘China spying.’