Linda Sun, a former aide to Gov. Kathy Hochul and ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, is facing new federal charges alleging she funneled $35 million in New York state contracts to companies run by her husband and cousin during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a superseding indictment filed Wednesday, June 25, in Brooklyn federal court.
Sun and her husband, Chris Hu, are accused of participating in a scheme that netted them at least $2.3 million in kickbacks by exploiting Sun’s position in the Cuomo administration in 2020, when she served as deputy chief diversity officer. At the time, Sun was involved in coordinating efforts to source personal protective equipment and ventilators from China as New York faced dire shortages.
According to the indictment, Sun manipulated vendor recommendations from the Chinese government by fraudulently adding two companies, one run by a second cousin and another by Hu, to an official list of suggested suppliers. Federal prosecutors say she altered an email from a Chinese official on March 21, 2020, to falsely include her cousin’s mask business.
Days later, Sun allegedly emailed state procurement officials with the subject line, “Already VERIFIED by Linda Sun,” claiming the company was recommended by the Jiangsu Chamber of Commerce and produced “gold standard” surgical masks.
An internal state document later found on a computer belonging to Sun and Hu tracked PPE contracts and included a justification for doing business with Hu’s company, stating it was “referred by Chinese chamber of commerce,” a false claim, prosecutors said.
“When masks, gloves, and other protective supplies were hard to find, Sun abused her position of trust to steer contracts to her associates so that she and her husband could share in the profits,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, in a statement Thursday.
Between March and June 2020, the state transferred nearly $45 million to the two companies. Prosecutors discovered a spreadsheet in one of Hu’s electronic accounts estimating the couple would earn $8 million in profits, including kickbacks. Authorities contend the couple used the proceeds to fund lavish purchases, including a $4 million home in Manhasset, a $3 million home in Honolulu, and a 2024 Ferrari SF90. The money was allegedly laundered through accounts held in the name of Hu’s family members, and neither Sun nor Hu reported the income to tax authorities.
“The newest allegations continue the government’s trend of making and publicizing feverish accusations unmoored from the facts and evidence that we expect will actually come out at trial. Ms. Sun vehemently denies these latest allegations and intends to vigorously contest them in court,” Sun’s attorney, Jarrod Schaeffer said.
Sun was previously charged in September 2024 with acting as an unregistered agent of the People’s Republic of China, and accused of influencing New York State policy in exchange for bribes, gifts, and favors, including specially prepared salted duck dishes for her parents.
The original indictment included charges of conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy. Hu was charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, money laundering, and misuse of means of identification.
The superseding indictment adds new counts of wire fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and tax evasion. Sun and Hu are expected to be arraigned on the new charges Monday.
The updated charges follow a June 16 hearing in which U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan urged prosecutors to file their expanded indictment promptly to allow defense attorneys access to discovery materials. The trial, originally set for July, has been delayed due to issues involving classified materials.
