Ping Li, a 59-year-old former Verizon employee, was recently sentenced to four years in prison for conspiring to act as an agent of China. Li, who immigrated to the U.S. from China and became a citizen, pleaded guilty to the charges earlier this year. His espionage activities date back to at least 2012.
When the FBI arrested Li in July, he initially tried to downplay his relationship with the MSS (Ministry of State Security, the intelligence and security agency for China) agent, claiming he was merely seeking investment advice. However, when confronted with incriminating emails, he confessed to conducting research for the Chinese government and sharing confidential cybersecurity materials from his employer.
Espionage Activities:
- Li shared sensitive information with MSS agents about:
- U.S. government electronic surveillance capabilities.
- Activities of Verizon branches in China.
- Cybersecurity training materials from another employer.
- Li also provided the MSS with names and identifying details of Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa, a religious group that is banned in China) members residing in the U.S.
Li’s case highlights China’s efforts to infiltrate major telecom companies and exploit insiders for intelligence gathering. His actions provided the Chinese government with valuable insights into corporate operations and the activities of political opponents. While Li’s sentencing agreement doesn’t explicitly link him to the Salt Typhoon hack, his case underscores the vulnerability of telecom companies to such infiltration. This hack, attributed to the MSS-linked group Salt Typhoon, targeted major telecom giants, including Verizon.
- Li worked for Verizon as a software engineer for at least 20 years before moving to Infosys, an Indian IT consulting firm.
- He began working with MSS agents as early as 2012.
- He frequently traveled to China to meet with his former classmate, an MSS agent.
- Li also used online accounts to communicate and share information with MSS agents.
Li was sentenced to four years in prison for his crimes. His sentencing comes amidst heightened concerns about Chinese cyberespionage, particularly in light of the recent Salt Typhoon hack. This hack potentially compromised the data of high-profile individuals, including politicians Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. It’s important to note that the sources do not explicitly connect Li to the Salt Typhoon operation.