(CBS) – A California real estate agent has been arrested on suspicion of conducting surveillance on relatives of Taiwan’s president on behalf of Chinese government officials, according to federal investigators.

Wanying “Heather” Zhang was apprehended Sunday at Los Angeles International Airport as she prepared to depart for Shanghai. Federal authorities charged her with acting as an agent of a foreign government without registering with the U.S. government.

The investigation centers on an alleged operation in September 2025 involving the collection of information about Ting-Yu Lai, the son of Taiwanese President Ching-Te Lai, who resides in the United States.

According to a federal criminal complaint, Zhang and an unidentified male associate traveled to the Seattle area, rented a vehicle and went to a residence associated with the president’s son. Investigators allege that the pair photographed and recorded members of his family.

The FBI believes the information could have been intended to provide Beijing with potential leverage over Taiwan’s leadership. Special Agent Kevin Holt explained the concern in the October 3 court filing: “If the PRC [People’s Republic of China] wish to obtain leverage over the President of Taiwan during any potential conflict, the location and pictures of the close relatives of a high-ranking Taiwanese government official, including pictures of their homes and cars, could be useful to the PRC,”

The alleged surveillance reportedly took place on September 1, 2025, after Zhang and the unidentified individual flew from Las Vegas to Seattle and obtained a black Nissan Rogue.

Security footage from a neighboring property became part of the investigation. According to the complaint, the recording appears to capture the two individuals filming Ting-Yu, his wife and their child when they returned to their residence.

Investigators also allege that Zhang communicated updates to a Chinese government contact through WeChat. Among the messages cited in the complaint were: “Saw him. Young male. It’s that young one,” and “I am videorecording,” followed by vehicle registration information.

The FBI says the communications were recovered through a search of Zhang’s iCloud account. Holt wrote that the evidence indicated Zhang maintained contact with multiple individuals she appeared to recognize as representatives of the Chinese government.

The complaint describes an alleged recruitment process beginning several months before the Seattle trip. In June 2025, a former classmate reportedly introduced Zhang to a Chinese official. The connection allegedly stemmed from her studies at Beijing’s University of International Relations, an institution the FBI agent said has close ties to China’s Ministry of State Security.

During a subsequent visit to China, Zhang allegedly met the official in a private room she had reserved in Changsha. Investigators believe the meeting was when the surveillance assignment was arranged.

Later communications allegedly showed Zhang discussing preparations for the Seattle trip. In one message, she wrote: “I can take care of this thing,”

On August 26, she reportedly informed the official: “I will be busy with work in L.A. this week. I will probably go to Seattle next week,” The official responded: “Ok. Thank you for your hard work,” according to the complaint.

Zhang, 34, is a licensed real estate agent employed by JC Pacific Capital Inc. Her online professional profile lists approximately 130 property transactions and listings in the Los Angeles region and nearby communities.

Her husband, Edric Ding, who works in the same real estate business, told CBS News after being contacted Sunday: “I don’t know anything yet,” He declined to discuss the matter further. It was not immediately known whether Zhang had retained an attorney.

The president’s son and Taiwan’s strategic position

Ting-Yu Lai is an engineer who completed his higher education in the United States. His academic credentials include degrees from Case Western Reserve University and Johns Hopkins University, followed by a doctorate in bioengineering from the University of Washington.

Taiwanese media have reported that he met his wife, Hsiao Chen, while completing his doctoral studies. They married in 2018 and had a child in the United States in 2020. He is now employed by Dutch electronics manufacturer Philips.

The allegations emerge against the backdrop of longstanding tensions between Beijing and Taipei. Taiwan operates independently, maintains its own government and rejects Beijing’s claims of sovereignty over the island. China, meanwhile, continues to regard Taiwan as part of its territory.

The island’s geopolitical importance extends beyond its political status. Its location near major international maritime routes and its central role in advanced semiconductor manufacturing make it particularly significant to global security and the technology industry.

Taiwan’s consulate was contacted for comment regarding the investigation.

Previous cases involving alleged Chinese operations in America

Zhang’s arrest comes amid several prominent U.S. investigations into suspected Chinese government activities targeting individuals and organizations inside the country.

One notable case involved Shujun Wang, who prosecutors said secretly gathered intelligence on a Chinese pro-democracy organization in Queens, New York, for China’s Ministry of State Security over approximately 17 years. Wang was convicted of acting as an unauthorized foreign agent in 2024.

Authorities also prosecuted individuals connected to an alleged unofficial Chinese police facility in Manhattan. Two people were arrested in April 2023 in connection with the operation, which investigators said was used to monitor Chinese nationals and dissidents.

Another focus of federal investigations has been Operation Fox Hunt, a Chinese government initiative that U.S. authorities say is used to locate Chinese nationals abroad and pressure certain individuals to return to China.

Quanzhong An, whom prosecutors described as a leading figure in the American operation, was sentenced in March 2025 following allegations that he participated in efforts to intimidate a Chinese dissident into returning to China.

In a separate California investigation, former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang was charged in May with acting on behalf of the Chinese government. She acknowledged accepting money to promote Beijing’s positions in the United States, including through an online article disputing allegations of “forced labor” in China.