Name: Judge Declares Mistrial in New York Gubernatorial Aide’s Foreign Agent Case
Uploaded: 2025-12-23T03:11:02.000Z
Description: Prosecutors said they will retry the case as soon as possible.

Dave Martin is NTD's Senior Sports Reporter and sports analyst. He also hosts "Data Hub" segments during NTD's special election coverage, "The Nation Decides."

Dave Martin

NTD Plus

News

News with integrity, from the United States and around the world. Focused reports and analyses that shed light on major issues the world deserves to know. NTD Evening News airs daily at 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Evening News

19-Year Old Andreeva Wins French Open, Youngest Since 1992

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

Moms Across America Founder Zen Honeycutt on GMO Safety, Glyphosate Concerns, and the MAHA Movement

Daniel Monaghan is a reporter for NTD News covering culture, social issues, and education. He holds a BA in Political Science and Government.

Daniel Monaghan

White House Week in Review (June 6): US Brokers Israel–Lebanon Ceasefire

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

Hegseth Honors D-Day Veterans in France

Rudy Blalock is a Southern California-based daily news reporter for NTD. Originally from Michigan, he moved to California in 2017 and the sunshine and ocean have kept him here since. In his free time, he may be found underwater scuba diving, on top of a mountain hiking or snowboarding, or at home meditating—which helps fuel his active lifestyle.

Rudy Blalock

World News

Asia &amp; Pacific

Missing US Student Found Dead in Japan, Family Says

Jason Perry is an Army veteran and NTD's national security correspondent. Jason primarily covers border security, national defense, foreign wars, and veterans' issues.

Jason Perry

Anthropic: Humans Could Soon Lose Control Over AI

David Lam is a national correspondent based in California and a part-time anchor for "NTD Tonight." Before joining NTD he was a financial analyst.

David Lam

California Prepares to Host FIFA World Cup Matches

Sam Wang is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Sam covers politics on Capitol Hill, and U.S.-China relations. 

Sam Wang

Citizens Weigh Newly Painted Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

D-day Was ‘The Most Complex Mission in Modern Military History’: Retired Navy SEAL

Jason Blair is a national correspondent for NTD News based in California. 

Jason Blair

48 Charged in Texas Over Major Drug Trafficking Operation

Arleen Richards is NTD's legal correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers all major legal stories. Arleen holds a Doctor of Law (J.D.).


Arleen Richards

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (June 6)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (June 5)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (June 4)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (June 3)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (June 2)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (June 1)

Chris Beers is an NTD News anchor and political correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Chris co-anchors "NTD News Today" weekdays at 10:00 am ET.

Chris Beers

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 31)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 29)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 28)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 27)

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

US News

State News

California

More Than 17,000 Under Evacuation Orders as Southern California Wildfire Threatens Homes

40,000 Ordered to Evacuate as Chemical Tank Leaks, Threatens Explosion in California

Video of US Fighter Jet Shooting Down UFO Over Lake Huron Emerges in New Pentagon Files

Mary Man is a writer for NTD. She has traveled around the world covering China, international news, and arts and culture.

Mary Man

China News

Epoch Times Obtains Over 2,000 Unseen Tiananmen Square Photos on 37th Anniversary of the June 4th Massacre

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Government Sues Chick-fil-A Over Religious Rights

Sports News

Kyle Busch, Two-Time NASCAR Champion, Dies at 41

Haika Mrema

Medical Plane Crash in New Mexico Mountains Kills 4, Sparks Wildfire

US Embassy in Israel Issues Travel Alert for Much of Middle East

California Mayor Resigns, Will Plead Guilty to Acting as Chinese Agent

Jill McLaughlin is an award-winning journalist covering politics, environment, and statewide issues. She has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Oregon, Nevada, and New Mexico. Jill was born in Yosemite National Park and enjoys the majestic outdoors, traveling, golfing, and hiking.

Jill McLaughlin

We present news that is truthful and based on facts, outside of the political fog. Instead of focusing on the negative things happening around us, our mission is to give our viewers a good morning with empathetic and uplifting stories. Our aim is to provide an antidote to negativity by shining a light on the best side of people. We speak to inspiring people who positively impact communities, pursue topics that represent our common human values, and will never miss an opportunity to bring you heartwarming stories.

NTD Good Morning

Scott Pelley Fired by ’60 Minutes’ After Clash With Management

Eva Fu is a New York-based writer for The Epoch Times focusing on U.S. politics, U.S.-China relations, religious freedom, and human rights. Contact Eva at eva.fu@epochtimes.com

Eva Fu

Nicholas Zifcak is an Epoch Times reporter.

Nicholas Zifcak

NEW YORK—A federal judge in Brooklyn on Dec. 22 declared a mistrial over a Chinese foreign agent case against former New York governor aide Linda Sun, after jurors failed to reach a verdict.

Sun faces 19 charges, including acting as a Chinese agent, bribery in connection with state contracts, money laundering, and visa fraud. Her husband, Chris Hu, was charged with money laundering, misuse of someone else’s identification, bank fraud, and tax evasion.

Judge Brian Cogan, hours earlier, had expressed doubt that the jury would be able to resolve their disagreements on the case, saying he’d be “surprised if they come to an agreement.”

On Dec. 18, the jurors told Cogan in a note that they cannot come to a unanimous decision because of “fundamental differences on the evidence and interpretation of the law.” They said it’s unlikely to change any jurors' judgment on all counts.

In response to prosecutors' motion for a partial verdict, Cogan called the jury in and asked whether they had a consensus on any count.

The jurors said they were stuck on all 19.

Cogan said he doesn’t think jurors feel rushed to reach a verdict simply because the case has dragged on this long, as jurors are “not surrendering their convictions.”

In the month-long trial, prosecutors <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/5-takeaways-from-ex-hochul-aides-chinese-agent-trial-5960026">presented</a> evidence of Sun using her position to influence the governor’s office. She worked to steer the governor’s office toward aligning with the Chinese regime's priorities, according to text messages released by the prosecutors.

The prosecutors on Dec. 22 had urged the court against declaring a mistrial, saying the complexity of the trial doesn’t support such an action at this point and that the deliberations so far have been relatively short, given that replacing jurors has caused the jury to restart three times.

Sun worked for two New York governors, Andrew Cuomo and then Kathy Hochul. She was part of a task force looking for vendors of ventilators, masks, and gloves at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. During that time, prosecutors alleged, Sun promoted her husband and his business partners for contracts, taking advantage of her role and receiving millions in <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/china/husband-of-ex-new-york-governor-aide-recorded-millions-in-payments-from-china-files-show-5952172">kickbacks</a> from vendors.

Sun and Hu allegedly laundered the kickbacks received, routing them through shell companies, dummy accounts, and close friends.

In text messages, Sun also showed a close connection with Chinese officials. She requested Chinese delicacies from the then-New York Chinese consul general and <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/china/prosecutors-rest-their-case-against-ex-hochul-aide-after-calling-several-dozen-witnesses-5954782">assisted</a> the Chinese Consulate with getting a recorded Chinese New Year greeting from Hochul in 2021.

Sun also bragged about her influence over New York state officials and said she yearned to do more for her “native country,” according to the messages.

Jury deliberation will continue on Dec. 22, with an alternate juror stepping in to replace one who had a plane to catch that day and had to be excused. The jury is expected to deliberate for another two days before resuming on Jan. 6, 2026.

One juror had expressed financial hardship with the trial dragging on for more than one month. Cogan said it may be necessary to call on the fourth and final alternate juror to serve.

Sun’s attorney Jarrod Schaeffer said the inability of jurors to “reach a unanimous verdict on all counts despite days of conscientious deliberation underscores how questionable and flawed these charges were.”

“Throughout this trial, Linda Sun has steadfastly maintained her innocence—and that does not change now,” he told The Epoch Times. He said he hopes “the government recognizes what this mistrial indicates” and drops retrial efforts.

The court will hold a status conference on Jan. 26. Prosecutors said they will retry the case as soon as possible.

<em>From <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/judge-declares-mistrial-in-new-york-gubernatorial-aides-foreign-agent-case-5961673">The Epoch Times</a></em>

Latest

Politics

04_Top Stories

Latest Clips

Management

03_Featured

Courts

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.

Judge Declares Mistrial in New York Gubernatorial Aide’s Foreign Agent Case

Rachel Acenas is an experienced journalist and TV news reporter and anchor covering breaking stories and contributing original news content for NTD's digital team.

Rachel Acenas

Trump Unveils Plan for New Class of ‘More Powerful’ US Battleships

Christina Corona is a California-based reporter for NTD News. She primarily covers California news, politics, and entertainment.  

Christina Corona

Flash Flooding in Northern California Leads to Soaked Roads, Water Rescues, and 1 Death

Crowd Honors Bondi Beach Shooting Victims During Hanukkah

Paul Greaney is an NTD news anchor and producer. Since joining the company in 2018, he has anchored the station’s flagship Evening News broadcast, launched the NTD Business show, and produced documentary reports on pointed issues. 

The highlight of Paul’s time in the field was his coverage of the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests in 2019.

Paul Greaney

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (Dec. 21)

Tiffany Meier is an anchor, China news investigative reporter, and producer for NTD News based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Tiffany anchors NTD's flagship shows "NTD Evening News" and "China in Focus" and co-moderates NTD's special election coverage "The Nation Decides." She produced the award-winning NTD Original documentary "Hollywood Takeover: China's Control in the Film Industry."


Tiffany Meier

Author Matthew Spaulding on America’s Founding and Crisis in Education

Arian Pasdar is an international correspondent for NTD News based in South America. His reporting focuses on immigration and key events in Latin America.

Arian Pasdar

Rubio: US Has to Drive Russia and Ukraine 'Towards Each Other' for Peace

Luis Eduardo Martinez is a correspondent for NTD News based in Washington. He holds a master’s degree in International Relations and Democratic Politics from the University of Westminster in London, England.

Luis Eduardo Martinez

Rubio: Narco-Terrorists Are the Most Significant Threat to US in Western Hemisphere

Freed Israeli Hostage Omer Shem Tov Recounts Oct. 7 Terror Attack and 505 Days of Captivity in Gaza

Reuters is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages.