Latest news with #Wen
Miami Herald
3 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Chinese national in U.S. pleads guilty to shipping arms to North Korea
SEOUL, June 10 (UPI) -- A Chinese citizen living in the United States pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for illegally exporting firearms, ammunition and other military items to North Korea, the U.S. Justice Department said. Shengua Wen, 42, acted under the instructions of North Korean government officials and was paid approximately $2 million for his efforts, the department said in a press release Monday. Wen, who was living in Ontario, Calif., without permanent legal status, concealed the goods inside shipping containers that departed from the Port of Long Beach, prosecutors said. According to the plea agreement, Wen admitted to shipping at least three containers of guns to China en route to North Korea in 2023. He bought a firearms business in Houston, Texas, to acquire the guns and filed false export paperwork to conceal the contents of his containers. In September 2024, Wen allegedly purchased approximately 60,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that he intended to ship to North Korea. He also obtained sensitive technology, including "a chemical threat identification device and a handheld broadband receiver that detects known, unknown, illegal, disruptive or interfering transmissions," the press release said. Wen met government officials at a North Korean embassy in China, where he was instructed to procure the weapons and sensitive items, according to his plea agreement. He then entered the United States in 2012 on a student visa and remained after it expired in December 2013. Wen pleaded guilty to one count of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. "Wen admitted that at all relevant times he knew that it was illegal to ship firearms, ammunition and sensitive technology to North Korea," prosecutors said. He has been in custody since he was arrested and charged in December. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Chinese man admits smuggling weapons from US to North Korea
A Chinese man living illegally in the United States has pleaded guilty to exporting guns, ammunition and sensitive military equipment to North Korea. Shenghua Wen was reportedly operating at the direction of the North Korean regime and was paid about $2 million (£1.5 million) for his work over a two-year period. Pictures released by the FBI showed briefcases containing sophisticated electronic equipment, as well as what appeared to be a semi-automatic rifle. Wen arrived in the US on a student visa in 2012, but remained in the country illegally after the visa expired in 2013. He first established contact with North Korean officials at their embassy in China before he moved to the US. These officials 'directed Wen to procure goods on behalf of North Korea', according to the US Department of Justice. In 2022, Wen was approached by two North Korean officials, known as Jin Yong Nan and Cui, over the encrypted messaging platform Wickr and was tasked with acquiring guns and 'sensitive technology' to send from the US to North Korea. The following year, Wen purchased an unspecified number of firearms in Texas, using money provided to him by one of his North Korean contacts, and then carried the guns across state lines to a port in California. The guns were then shipped in three containers from the US to North Korea via Hong Kong, with Wen 'filing false export information regarding the contents of the container', according to prosecutors. One container, which was falsely reported to be carrying refrigerators, successfully arrived in Hong Kong and was later transported 30 miles south-west of Pyongyang to Nampo, the country's largest port. Last year, Wen was again asked by his North Korean contacts to purchase approximately 60,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition, prosecutors said. He also obtained sensitive technology, including a device that can identify chemical threats and a handheld receiver that detects different types of transmissions. These items, stored in two secure cases, were seized from his home during a raid last August. Finally, Wen acquired or offered to acquire a civilian aeroplane engine and a thermal imaging system that can be mounted on a drone or other aircraft, though it's unclear whether these were ever successfully shipped. Prosecutors allege that Wen was helping North Korea obtain materials for a potential attack on South Korea when he was arrested at his home in Ontario, California, in December last year. North Korea has been boosting its defence capabilities in recent years as it seeks to expand and update its conventional weapons. Wen admitted to one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which authorises the US president to regulate commerce with countries if there is a threat to national security, and one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the IEEPA violation and a maximum penalty of 10 years for acting as a foreign agent. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug 18. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Chinese national in U.S. pleads guilty to shipping arms to North Korea
SEOUL, June 10 (UPI) -- A Chinese citizen living in the United States pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for illegally exporting firearms, ammunition and other military items to North Korea, the U.S. Justice Department said. Shengua Wen, 42, acted under the instructions of North Korean government officials and was paid approximately $2 million for his efforts, the department said in a press release Monday. Wen, who was living in Ontario, Calif., without permanent legal status, concealed the goods inside shipping containers that departed from the Port of Long Beach, prosecutors said. According to the plea agreement, Wen admitted to shipping at least three containers of guns to China en route to North Korea in 2023. He bought a firearms business in Houston, Texas, to acquire the guns and filed false export paperwork to conceal the contents of his containers. In September 2024, Wen allegedly purchased approximately 60,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that he intended to ship to North Korea. He also obtained sensitive technology, including "a chemical threat identification device and a handheld broadband receiver that detects known, unknown, illegal, disruptive or interfering transmissions," the press release said. Wen met government officials at a North Korean embassy in China, where he was instructed to procure the weapons and sensitive items, according to his plea agreement. He then entered the United States in 2012 on a student visa and remained after it expired in December 2013. Wen pleaded guilty to one count of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. "Wen admitted that at all relevant times he knew that it was illegal to ship firearms, ammunition and sensitive technology to North Korea," prosecutors said. He has been in custody since he was arrested and charged in December.
UPI
8 hours ago
- UPI
Chinese national in U.S. pleads guilty to shipping arms to North Korea
SEOUL, June 10 (UPI) -- A Chinese citizen living in the United States pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for illegally exporting firearms, ammunition and other military items to North Korea, the U.S. Justice Department said. Shengua Wen, 42, acted under the instructions of North Korean government officials and was paid approximately $2 million for his efforts, the department said in a press release Monday. Wen, who was living in Ontario, Calif., without permanent legal status, concealed the goods inside shipping containers that departed from the Port of Long Beach, prosecutors said. According to the plea agreement, Wen admitted to shipping at least three containers of guns to China en route to North Korea in 2023. He bought a firearms business in Houston, Texas, to acquire the guns and filed false export paperwork to conceal the contents of his containers. In September 2024, Wen allegedly purchased approximately 60,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that he intended to ship to North Korea. He also obtained sensitive technology, including "a chemical threat identification device and a handheld broadband receiver that detects known, unknown, illegal, disruptive or interfering transmissions," the press release said. Wen met government officials at a North Korean embassy in China, where he was instructed to procure the weapons and sensitive items, according to his plea agreement. He then entered the United States in 2012 on a student visa and remained after it expired in December 2013. Wen pleaded guilty to one count of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. "Wen admitted that at all relevant times he knew that it was illegal to ship firearms, ammunition and sensitive technology to North Korea," prosecutors said. He has been in custody since he was arrested and charged in December.
Pink Villa
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Katy Perry's Sydney Show Disrupted by Notorious Stage Invader Who Previously Troubled The Weeknd and Virat Kohli
Katy Perry' s Lifetimes World Tour stop in Sydney took an unexpected turn when notorious stage invader Johnson Wen stormed the stage during her performance. Already infamous for interrupting events featuring stars like The Weeknd and cricketer Virat Kohli, Wen's latest antics landed him in police custody — and added another charge to his growing rap sheet. While Perry was performing her hit Hot N Cold at Qudos Bank Arena, Wen broke free from the crowd and raced onto the stage, shocking both the singer and the audience. NSW Police confirmed Wen was arrested on the spot and charged with entering enclosed land and obstructing a person in the performance of work or duties. Johnson Wen was granted conditional bail and is set to appear in Burwood Local Court on June 23, along with a six-month ban from the Sydney Olympic Park Precinct. Wen is no stranger to such stunts. In 2023, he stormed The Weeknd's Melbourne concert and later admitted he had planned the incident for months. "There were way too many security guards, it looked impossible to get through," Wen told 7News. "Somehow, I managed to find a small gap and ran on stage." His history of invasions extends beyond the concert stage. Internet users have linked Wen to pitch invasions during multiple cricket matches, including ones involving Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma during the World Cup. He also received fines for dangling from a Brisbane footbridge in 2020 and for invading a rugby union match in 2021. His Instagram bio, which reads "troll most hated," appears to embrace his notoriety. Despite the disruption, Perry handled the situation with grace. After briefly continuing her performance, she addressed the audience: "There's never going to be another show like this, so just enjoy it." Security swiftly removed Wen, and Perry carried on with her show, earning praise for her professionalism during the chaotic moment.
