Latest news with #ShenghuaWen
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Chinese national pleads guilty in US for illegally exporting arms to North Korea
WASHINGTON, June 10 — A Chinese man pleaded guilty on Monday to exporting guns and ammunition to North Korea, the Justice Department said. Shenghua Wen, 42, who was living illegally in the United States after overstaying his student visa, was charged with violating long-standing US sanctions against North Korea. Wen, arrested in California in December, was paid US$2 million (RM8.5 million) by North Korea for the arms shipments, the Justice Department said. Wen and unidentified co-conspirators allegedly concealed firearms and ammunition inside containers that were shipped from Long Beach, California, through Hong Kong to North Korea. The Justice Department said law enforcement in August seized two devices at Wen's home that he planned to send to North Korea — a chemical threat identification device and a handheld broadband receiver that detects eavesdropping devices. In September, law enforcement seized 50,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that Wen allegedly obtained to send to North Korea, the department said. Wen also attempted to obtain a civilian plane engine from a US-based broker, it said. Wen faces up to 20 years in prison for violating export controls as well as a maximum of 10 years in prison for acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government. He is due to be sentenced on August 18. — AFP
The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
Chinese man pleads guilty to exporting arms to N. Korea
WASHINGTON: A Chinese man pleaded guilty on Monday to exporting guns and ammunition to North Korea, the Justice Department said. Shenghua Wen, 42, who was living illegally in the United States after overstaying his student visa, was charged with violating long-standing US sanctions against North Korea. Wen, arrested in California in December, was paid $2 million by North Korea for the arms shipments, the Justice Department said. Wen and unidentified co-conspirators allegedly concealed firearms and ammunition inside containers that were shipped from Long Beach, California, through Hong Kong to North Korea. The Justice Department said law enforcement in August seized two devices at Wen's home that he planned to send to North Korea -- a chemical threat identification device and a handheld broadband receiver that detects eavesdropping devices. In September, law enforcement seized 50,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that Wen allegedly obtained to send to North Korea, the department said. Wen also attempted to obtain a civilian plane engine from a US-based broker, it said. Wen faces up to 20 years in prison for violating export controls as well as a maximum of 10 years in prison for acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government. He is due to be sentenced on August 18.
Al Jazeera
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Chinese man in US pleads guilty to exporting guns, ammo to North Korea
A Chinese man living illegally in the United States has pleaded guilty to exporting guns, ammunition and other military items to North Korea at the direction of Pyongyang, the US Department of Justice has said. Shenghua Wen, of Ontario, California, admitted to one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act – a 1977 law that empowers the president to restrict commerce with countries on national security grounds – and one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government, the Justice Department said on Monday. Wen, 42, shipped at least three containers of guns bound for North Korea in 2023, one of which arrived in Nampo, North Korea, via Hong Kong, according to prosecutors. To facilitate the scheme, Wen bought a firearms business in Houston, Texas, and used false paperwork to conceal the contents of his shipping containers, according to prosecutors. Wen, who was arrested in December, also allegedly bought approximately 60,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition and obtained 'sensitive technology', including a chemical threat identification device, for shipment to North Korea. Wen was allegedly directed to procure the weapons and sensitive goods by North Korean officials he met at the North Korean Embassy in China before entering the US on a student visa in 2012. Wen was allegedly transferred about $2m to carry out the scheme. 'Wen admitted that at all relevant times he knew that it was illegal to ship firearms, ammunition, and sensitive technology to North Korea. He also admitted to never having the required licenses to export ammunition, firearms, and the above-described devices to North Korea,' the US Attorney's Office for the Central District of California said in a press release. 'He further admitted to acting at the direction of North Korean government officials and that he had not provided notification to the Attorney General of the United States that he was acting in the United States at the direction and control of North Korea as required by law.' During questioning by the FBI, Wen said he believed the North Korean government wanted the weapons and ammunition to prepare for an attack against South Korea, according to a criminal complaint filed in September. Wen is due to face court for sentencing in August. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and up to 10 years for acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government.
Straits Times
6 hours ago
- Straits Times
Chinese man in US pleads guilty to exporting arms to North Korea
Shenghua Wen, 42, was charged with violating long-standing US sanctions against North Korea. PHOTO: AFP Chinese man in US pleads guilty to exporting arms to North Korea WASHINGTON - A Chinese man pleaded guilty on June 9 to exporting guns and ammunition to North Korea, the US Justice Department said. Shenghua Wen, 42, who was living illegally in the United States after overstaying his student visa, was charged with violating long-standing US sanctions against North Korea. Wen, arrested in California in December, was paid US$2 million (S$2.57 million) by North Korea for the arms shipments, the Justice Department said. Wen and unidentified co-conspirators allegedly concealed firearms and ammunition inside containers that were shipped from Long Beach, California, through Hong Kong to North Korea. The Justice Department said law enforcement in August seized two devices at Wen's home that he planned to send to North Korea – a chemical threat identification device and a handheld broadband receiver that detects eavesdropping devices. In September, law enforcement seized 50,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that Wen allegedly obtained to send to North Korea, the department said. Wen also attempted to obtain a civilian plane engine from a US-based broker, it said. Wen faces up to 20 years in prison for violating export controls as well as a maximum of 10 years in prison for acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government. He is due to be sentenced on August 18. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
South China Morning Post
9 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Chinese man living illegally in US pleads guilty to exporting arms to North Korea
A Chinese man pleaded guilty on Monday to exporting guns and ammunition to North Korea, the US Justice Department said. Shenghua Wen, 42, who was living illegally in the United States after overstaying his student visa, was charged with violating long-standing US sanctions against North Korea. Wen, arrested in California in December, was paid US$2 million by North Korea for the arms shipments, the Justice Department said. Wen and unidentified co-conspirators allegedly concealed firearms and ammunition inside containers that were shipped from Long Beach, California, through Hong Kong to North Korea. The Justice Department said police in August seized two devices at Wen's home that he planned to send to North Korea - a chemical threat identification device and a handheld broadband receiver that detects eavesdropping devices. In September, police seized 50,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that Wen allegedly obtained to send to North Korea, the department said.
