US indicts California woman accused of spying on Taiwan president's son for China

A California woman has been indicted on charges of allegedly spying for China on the son of Taiwan's president, according to US federal prosecutors.

NBC News reported that Wanying Zhang, 34, also known as Heather, faces charges of conspiracy and acting as an unregistered foreign agent.

Teh indictment, filed on October 9 in California, alleges Zhang conducted surveillance outside the president's son's home near Seattle between June and September 2025.

Prosecutors claim she photographed and filmed the property, collected vehicle registration details and shared the information with a suspected Chinese government handler.

Zhang allegedly travelled from California to the Seattle area to monitor the unidentified individual.

Authorities also claim she visited China in August 2025 to meet a government official.

Her lawyer, Craig Harbaugh, has rejected the allegations, describing Zhang as a mother of two who lives with her family in Irvine, California.

“The government’s theory — she’s been a sleeper agent for the last 10 years, working as a real estate agent, raising her family and will choose to go to China and abandon her work, her family and her home — it’s not supported,” Harbaugh said during an October 7 court hearing.

A federal judge ordered Zhang to remain in custody after prosecutors raised concerns she could flee.

She is scheduled to appear in court on Friday and could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.