- A secretive recruitment network, linked to a Chinese firm, is reportedly targeting recently laid-off U.S. government workers to potentially gather sensitive information, resembling tactics used by Chinese intelligence. A think tank senior analyst recently shared his research with Reuters.
- Some recruitment ads appear to be from fake consulting firms, with overlapping website designs and connections to a Chinese internet services firm.
- U.S. officials have warned about China’s ongoing espionage efforts, while China denies involvement, claiming the U.S. falsely accuses it of espionage.
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A secretive recruitment network linked to a Chinese firm is reportedly attempting to lure recently laid-off U.S. government workers. Once employed, analysts say they could be asked to share sensitive information about the U.S. government.
Max Lesser, a senior analyst at the conservative think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies, shared his research exclusively with Reuters. He said the recruitment efforts closely resemble previous tactics used by Chinese intelligence.
According to the report, some companies placing recruitment ads appear to be fake consulting and headhunting firms.
Lesser says the firms are trying to find vulnerable former federal workers impacted by mass layoffs led by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
What did the investigation reveal?
Through Lesser’s research and Reuters’ investigation, they found that four companies allegedly involved in the network share overlapping website designs and are hosted on the same IP address, all alongside an obscure Chinese internet services firm.
Reuters said its attempts to track down the companies turned into a dead end of unanswered phone calls and emails, fake addresses and deleted job listings from LinkedIn.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington told Reuters that China was unaware of any of the entities allegedly involved in the campaign. They added that Beijing respects data privacy and security.
How did the White House respond?
A White House spokesperson said China is constantly trying to exploit the United States’ “free and open system” through espionage and coercion.
“Both active and former government employees must recognize the danger these governments pose and the importance of safeguarding government information,” the spokesperson stated.
Past espionage case
In 2020, a Singaporean national pleaded guilty in a U.S. court to acting as an agent of a foreign power.
He was accused of running a fake consulting firm that recruited Americans to write reports for undisclosed Asian clients.
Those reports were ultimately found to be connected to Chinese intelligence.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied any knowledge in the case, and accused the U.S. of repeatedly and wrongly accusing Beijing of espionage.
