People walk by a building suspected of being used as a secret police station in Chinatown for the purpose of repressing dissidents living in the United States on behalf of the Chinese government in lower Manhattan on April 18, 2023, in New York City. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images)
By Johnathan Jones May 14, 2026 at 7:05am
Federal prosecutors announced Wednesday that a New York man has been convicted for helping operate what authorities described as a secret Chinese police station in lower Manhattan.
Lu Jianwang, also known as “Harry Lu,” was found guilty in federal court in Brooklyn after a trial that lasted a week.
The Bronx resident, who is a U.S. citizen, was convicted of acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese Communist Party and obstructing justice.
According to a Department of Justice press release, Lu helped establish and operate a police station for China’s Ministry of Public Security in the heart of the United States’ most populous city.
The operation was allegedly run out of an office building in Manhattan’s Chinatown.
Prosecutors said the station operated under the direction and control of the Chinese government.
The FBI searched the location in October 2022.
The DOJ said agents recovered a blue banner reading “Fuzhou Police Overseas Service Station, New York, USA.”
(2/2) U.S. Attorney Nocella: “Our Office remains resolute in protecting the rights of people seeking freedom from repression and speaking out to bring democracy, reform, and human rights to China.”
— US Attorney EDNY (@EDNYnews) May 13, 2026
Federal officials described the location as part of a broader, covert Chinese effort to monitor and pressure dissidents who are living abroad.
The DOJ said China’s Ministry of Public Security routinely targets political opponents and critics who flee the country.
According to prosecutors, Lu and a co-defendant named Chen Jinping worked under orders from a Chinese government official beginning in January 2022.
The pair allegedly established the first known Chinese overseas police station operating inside the United States.
Neither suspect would speak to police or American law enforcement, nor admit they were acting on behalf of China, prosecutors said.
Lu was accused of helping Chinese authorities collect information about a pro-democracy activist who had relocated to the United States.
Federal prosecutors said the station he had been running was part of a global initiative by Beijing to establish other identical outposts around the world.
The DOJ said the operation flouted federal law, while U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said in the press release that the station’s “sinister purpose” had been exposed and disrupted.
“Our Office remains resolute in protecting the rights of people seeking freedom from repression,” Nocella said.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Barnacle said, “Lu Jianwang used a police station in New York City to target PRC dissidents in furtherance of the Chinese government’s political agenda.”
The obstruction charge stemmed from deleted messages uncovered during the FBI investigation.
Jianwang faces 30 years in a federal prison, while Jinping is still awaiting sentencing after his conviction.
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Johnathan Jones is a journalist, novelist, and media analyst with experience as a reporter, editor, and producer across radio, television, and digital platforms. Follow him on X: @misterjkjones
