California Realtor Accused of Spying for China Seeks Release on $820K Bail
Wanying Zhang's attorneys argue she is not a flight risk and has strong ties to the U.S., offering significant financial and property guarantees for her release.
A California real estate agent accused of gathering intelligence for the Chinese government on a relative of Taiwan's president is fighting to be released from federal custody, her attorneys arguing she is not a flight risk. Wanying Zhang, 34, of Irvine, was arrested Sunday at Los Angeles International Airport as she was attempting to board a flight to China and faces a federal charge of acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government.
In a filing obtained by Fox News Digital, Zhang's legal team proposed offering more than $800,000 in property equity and financial guarantees to secure her release. Her attorney stated that Zhang's U.S. citizenship, established family ties, and a history of returning from overseas trips demonstrate she will appear for future court proceedings.
Zhang came to the United States in 2014, became a naturalized citizen in 2020, and has worked in Orange County real estate for about a decade. She lives with her husband and their two young daughters. The defense proposed using an Irvine residence with at least $700,000 in equity, along with $120,000 in financial guarantees from her husband, his sister, his father, and a family friend.
To further address concerns about her potential to flee, Zhang's attorneys also proposed strict release conditions, including GPS-monitored home detention, surrender of travel documents, electronic device monitoring, and restrictions on entering airports or contacting individuals connected to the case. Pretrial Services had recommended detention, citing concerns about her failure to appear in court.
The defense acknowledged Zhang's one-way ticket to China but contested its significance, noting that she frequently booked international trips using separately purchased outbound and return flights. According to the filing, Zhang traveled to China, France, and Japan within the past year and returned to the U.S. after each trip. Her planned October trip was intended to visit her mother and had been postponed until after her daughters' birthdays.
The criminal complaint alleges that in September 2025, Zhang participated in a surveillance operation outside the Seattle-area residence of a close relative of a Taiwanese government official. An FBI affidavit states that investigators reviewed security camera footage allegedly showing Zhang and another individual photographing the person and their family members near their home. Federal authorities also alleged that Zhang transmitted photographs, video, and vehicle information to a suspected Chinese government official through electronic communications.
Investigators said Zhang attended China's University of International Relations in Beijing, which the FBI described as closely associated with China's intelligence apparatus. Zhang's attorneys contest the charges and maintain her intention to prove her innocence. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.