A telecommunications and information technology worker residing in Florida, has been charged with acting as an agent for the People's Republic of China, and faces a potential maximum prison sentence of 15 years.
The U.S. Department of Justice released a statement Wednesday, stating Ping Li, a 59–year–old U.S. citizen who immigrated from China, failed to register as a foreign agent, and used his position in Verizon, and an international information company to spy for China's Ministry of State Security, or MSS.
The MSS handles all civilian intelligence collection for China, and uses "cooperative contacts" located in certain areas outside of China, to gather intelligence to further China's agendas. This includes any information about foreign companies and corporations, and information around foreign politicians or those in foreign intelligence agencies.
