A former aide to Governors Andrew Cuomo and Kathy Hochul has pleaded not guilty to new federal charges related to alleged profiteering during the COVID-19 pandemic.
41-year-old Linda Sun and her husband, 40-year-old Chris Hu, appeared in court this week, entering not guilty pleas to wire fraud, bribery, and conspiracy charges. Hu also faces tax evasion charges. The couple remains free on bond and is due back in court on August 25, with a trial expected in November.
Federal prosecutors allege that Sun used her position helping New York acquire PPE in 2020 to steer contracts worth more than $44 million to vendors connected to her family. In return, Sun and Hu allegedly received millions in kickbacks, funding a lavish lifestyle that included multimillion-dollar homes and luxury vehicles.
Sun, a naturalized U.S. citizen, is also facing separate charges of acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government, accused of using her state role to support China’s interests and benefit her husband’s business ventures overseas.
She was fired from her role in state government in 2023.
