Yan Po Zhu, a developer accused of a $120,000 bribery scheme involving a top adviser to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, has significant ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), according to court documents and reports. Zhu, also known as Andy Zhu, and Frank Carone, Adams' former chief of staff, were arrested this week on fraud and money laundering charges.
Prosecutors allege that Zhu made payments to Carone in exchange for a contract to house migrants at a hotel owned by Zhu in Queens in 2022. Court documents indicate Zhu is considered a flight risk due to his status as a Chinese national with extensive foreign ties to a country that does not have an extradition treaty with the United States.
CCP Connections and Police Station Ties
Zhu has been linked to the American Changle Association, a group that operated a clandestine police station in Manhattan's Chinatown, reportedly used to monitor dissidents. In 2018, Zhu donated $100,000 to this organization, which constituted the majority of its donations that year. Public records show that Zhu and his father had previously donated $40,000 to the group when it was first registered in 2017. The association described itself as a "social gathering place for Fujianese people."
Last month, the president of the American Changle Association, "Harry" Lu Jianwang, was convicted of acting as a foreign agent for China in connection with the operation of the illegal police station. Zhu also reportedly attended rallies with Linda Sun, a former government aide charged with acting as an unregistered foreign agent for China, whose trial resulted in a hung jury. Zhu was featured alongside Sun in a 2019 protest against the visit of Taiwan’s former president. He is also listed as an honorary general advisor for the pro-CCP United Chinese Associations of Eastern US, which is registered as an agent for China.
Legal Proceedings and Law Enforcement Raids
Zhu pleaded not guilty to federal bribery and fraud charges. He was released on an $8 million bond, a figure significantly higher than the $2 million bond set for Carone, reflecting prosecutors' concerns about his risk of flight.
Law enforcement has targeted Zhu's properties multiple times this week. On Thursday morning, Brookville Police officers were seen removing long guns from Zhu's six-bedroom mansion in Glen Head, Long Island. A spokesperson for the Brooklyn federal court confirmed that Zhu owns multiple firearms and was required to surrender them as a condition of his pre-trial release.
Business Dealings and Political Donations
Zhu is the president of East Times Group, a real estate development firm based in Long Island City. His company's website describes him as an entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in financial investments, private capital, and cross-border business operations. He has been involved in multi-million dollar deals between the U.S. and China, including the 2017 sale of a development site on Manhattan's Lower East Side for $29 million.
Over the years, Zhu has made substantial political donations, contributing tens of thousands of dollars to law enforcement nonprofits, including the New York City Police Foundation, and various political action groups. Campaign filings show he donated $47,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee this year and has made thousands of dollars in contributions to the campaigns of Queens Democratic Rep. Grace Meng. His website features photographs of him with former U.S. presidents, including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump, and shows him hosting former Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly at his home in 2021.