A New York man has been convicted of working for an undercover police station in NYC

A New York man was convicted Wednesday of helping operate a secret police station linked to the Chinese government in Manhattan used to monitor dissidents, prosecutors said.

Lu Jianwang, 64, an American citizen also known as “Harry Lu” from the Bronx, was convicted by a jury of two counts related to the operation of an overseas police station in New York City on behalf of China’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS), and obstruction of justice by destroying evidence.

According to prosecutors, Lu and his co-defendant, Chen Jinping, worked as illegal agents for the Chinese government since 2022 and found what authorities described as the first known overseas police station in the United States.

Chen pleaded guilty in 2024 to conspiring to become an agent of the People’s Republic of China in connection with the project.

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Prosecutors say the station operates out of an office building in Lower Manhattan, where investigators found a blue sign that read: “Fuzhou Police Overseas Service Station, New York, USA.”

US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Joseph Nocella Jr. he said their convictions have disrupted the Chinese government’s operations on American soil.

“A police station operating in New York City at the behest of the Chinese government has been exposed, its evil intent thwarted, and its founder charged with willful contempt for the law and sovereignty of our country,” he said in a statement.

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Supporters of Lu Jianwang, also known as Harry Lu, stand outside a federal court before his trial in New York, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

“Our office remains steadfast in protecting the rights of people who seek freedom from oppression and speak out to bring democracy, reform and human rights to China,” he added.

James C. Barnacle Jr., assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York office, said the decision should send a message to foreign diplomats working in the US.

“May today’s decision send a message to other foreign agents – the FBI remains committed to uncovering and disrupting the covert operations of hostile nations,” he said in a statement.

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Prosecutors say the Manhattan facility is part of a broader effort by the Chinese government to monitor and intimidate dissidents abroad, including in the United States.

According to the DOJ, Lu collected information for the Chinese government, including helping to find a pro-democracy activist who fled China in the United States.

The FBI searched the facility in October 2022 and seized Lu and Chen’s phones. Investigators later discovered that WeChat messages between the men and their Chinese government handler had been deleted.

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Lu Jianwang waits to enter federal court in New York, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Prosecutors said Lu admitted to the FBI that he set up the Manhattan facility, contacted his boss via WeChat and deleted the messages.

Lu spoke briefly to supporters outside the federal court following the verdict but declined to answer questions from reporters.

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His lawyer said the center serves as a community center where Chinese citizens can renew their driver’s licenses and meet together.

“This is not espionage. This is not an intelligence gathering,” attorney John Carman said outside court. “He was not charged with that.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.