Linda Sun, a former aide to Hochul and Cuomo, is facing new charges related to a multimillion-dollar COVID fraud scheme.
Linda Sun, a former aide to Governor Kathy Hochul and ex-Governor Andrew Cuomo, faces serious new allegations related to her alleged involvement in a scheme to funnel million in state contracts to personal protective equipment (PPE) vendors linked to her family at a critical juncture during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent court filings reveal that Sun, 41, and her husband, Chris Hu, 40, were indicted in a superseding charge filed on September 3 at the Brooklyn Federal Court, adding to existing charges against them.
The indictment highlights that, while serving as Cuomo’s deputy chief diversity officer in 2020, Sun was integral in coordinating efforts to procure PPE and ventilators from China at a time when the United States was grappling with severe shortages. The Chinese government had recommended multiple vendors; however, Sun allegedly manipulated the list by fraudulently including two companies—one owned by her cousin and another by her husband.
According to federal prosecutors, on March 21, 2020, Sun is accused of altering an email she received from an official in Jiangsu province to illicitly add her cousin’s surgical mask business to the recommended vendor list. Shortly thereafter, she reportedly sent correspondence to New York State procurement officials, misleadingly asserting the legitimacy and importance of the company’s products, stating they were “already verified” and “gold standard” masks.
Investigations suggest that Sun and Hu received approximately .3 million in kickbacks from the contracts. Between March and June 2020, state payments to the two implicated PPE companies totaled around million. A spreadsheet retrieved from Hu’s electronic accounts allegedly estimated profits of million for them, taking into account the kickbacks from these deals.
The U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella expressed strong disapproval by stating that Sun abused her public office to steer lucrative contracts to acquaintances while the health crisis unfolded, and emphasized the necessity for accountability among public officials.
Sun had already been charged in September 2023 with acting as an agent on behalf of China and conspiring to enrich herself through kickbacks, which purportedly included gifts such as specially prepared salted ducks for her family. The latest charges against Sun and Hu encompass serious offenses including wire fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy against the U.S., and tax evasion. The couple is slated for arraignment on these new charges imminently.
The unfolding case has drawn significant attention as it underscores not only the critical nature of ethics in public service but also the pressing need for integrity, particularly during a national emergency. The implications of these allegations could have far-reaching effects on public trust and the conduct of state officials moving forward.
