A Chinese national living in California has been arrested and charged by federal law enforcement after he allegedly purchased and exported guns and ammunition to North Korea at the direction of North Korean agents who seized the equipment. He was given $2 million to buy it, according to a new revelation criminal complaint,
Shenghua Wen, 41, also talked about trying to obtain military uniforms in an apparent effort to help North Korean soldiers disguise themselves and carry out a “surprise attack” against South Korea, prosecutors said in an affidavit accompanying the complaint. Accepted, which was filed in November. 26.
Prosecutors alleged that Wayne came to the United States on a student visa in 2012 and lives in Ontario, California. During a series of interviews earlier this year, he reportedly told investigators that before coming to the U.S. he met with North Korean officials in China and that they instructed him to purchase firearms, ammunition and technology on Pyongyang's behalf. Had given.
According to court records, Wen told the FBI he was “good at smuggling”, and he allegedly admitted that in 2023 he shipped two containers of guns from Long Beach, California, to Hong Kong, from where they were shipped to North Korea. Was smuggled.
Wen is accused of conspiring to violate US sanctions on North Korea, which make it illegal to send American money or goods to the country without permission. Wayne's attorney was not immediately identified.
An affidavit filed in federal court in California revealed that FBI agents recovered 50,000 rounds of ammunition from Wayne's car, and he allegedly admitted to purchasing the ammo at the direction of North Korean officials. According to the affidavit, law enforcement also seized a device used to detect chemical threats and a device that can detect hidden surveillance devices. Investigators said they found photos of firearms and equipment that Wayne had sent in messages with co-conspirators, some of which he included in the affidavit.
Justice Department
The criminal complaint did not provide full details of the extent to which Wen allegedly worked on behalf of the North Korean government, but prosecutors wrote that he communicated with his handlers through encrypted messaging apps, where officials monitored his conduct. Directed and coordinated smuggling operations.
Wayne allegedly purchased some of the weapons shipped to North Korea through third-party straw buyers and told investigators that he had traveled to Texas several times to obtain firearms. To finance the alleged illicit purchases and international shipments, Wen told authorities that the North Korean government transferred approximately $2 million into the bank accounts of Wen's partner through a Chinese bank, the criminal complaint said. Did.
“During the interview on September 6, 2024, [Wen] He reported that he believed the North Korean government wanted weapons, ammunition, and other military-related equipment in preparation for an attack against South Korea,” prosecutors wrote, adding that his cellphone contained several images of American military uniforms. There were also photographs which indicated their intention to send the uniform abroad.
The Justice Department has accused other individuals living in the US associated with the North Korean government of similar conduct. In May, federal prosecutors accused An Arizona woman is accused of running a scheme to help North Korean IT workers illegally obtain remote employment at US companies. The group allegedly used the identities of more than 60 individuals living in the US to launder approximately $7 million from more than 300 US companies for the North Korean government.