From at least 2006 to when he was caught in March, Kun Shan Chun, known as ‘Joey’ Chun, was passing sensitive Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) information to China’s government officials and a chinese based technology company.
Originally born in China in 1969, he became a naturalized United States citizen in 1985 and has worked with the FBI for 19 years- since 1997. Starting his career at the age of 27, he is 46 years old.
He has had a top security clearance since 1998 and worked for the FBI’s New York Field Office for the Technical Branch: Computerized Central Monitoring Facility, as a electronics technician.
Last Monday, according to The New York Times, he plead guilty in a New York court and claimed to feel the guilt of his action. These feelings were expressed through his lawyer Jonathan Marvinny saying,“Today Joey Chun accepted responsibility for some mistakes in judgment that he deeply regrets. The truth is that Mr. Chun loves the United States and never intended to cause it any harm. He hopes to put this matter behind him and move forward with his life.”
From approximately 2000 to the present, Chun reported approximately nine trips to Hong Kong and China.
In December 2005, Chun made a trip to China and on January 13, 2006, he made email contact to the chinese based company called “Zhuhai Kolion Technological Company Ltd.” abbreviated as “Kolion.” His parents had invested in said company for 10 years and had property in China by March 2015.
He communicated with his contacts via an app called “WeChat” and performed research and consulting tasks in the U.S. for them.
In 2012, the FBI performed “a regularly scheduled reinvestigation of KUN SHAN CHUN," “Joey Chun.” This was to determine whether he should continue to maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
This investigation includes an “Electronic Questionnaire for Investigations Processing” also known as an “e-QIP” that was completed on Feb. 27. He answered “No” to having contact with foreign nationals.
Approximately July 2015 is the suspected most recent face-to-face communication Chun has had with his contacts, which took place in Europe. The FBI had an undercover agent on his tail for at approximately six to seven months by then.
The undercover agent said he was a consultant for various firms, an independent contractor for the Department of Defense and was also a U.S. citizen that originates from China.
Chun informed the agent that he has been provided with money, to him and his parents, and paid foreign leave, including hotel rooms and prostitutes, for his cooperation.
Many reacted to this revelation with negative opinions.
“[Chun] betrayed our country,” said New York Southern District U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John Carlin, commented, "Kun Shan Chun violated our nation's trust by exploiting his official U.S. Government position to provide restricted and sensitive FBI information to the Chinese government."
It has been requested that Chun “be arrested and imprisoned, or bailed.” It has also been reported by The New York Times, in the previously stated article, that the max for this type of crime is 10 years but in light of his plea, he will be sentenced 21 to 27 months. His sentencing is set for Dec. 2, according to Cable News Network (CNN). Except personal quotes and otherwise credited information, information provided by United States of America v. Kun Shan Chun, a/k/a “Joey Chun”. Additional information not expressed in this article can also be found in the above report.
Madeline Gavatorta, News
