Federal prosecutors have indicted two individuals, Cui Guanghai, aged 43, from China, and John Miller, a 63-year-old British national residing in the U.S., for their involvement in a scheme aimed at intimidating a Los Angeles artist known for speaking out against the Chinese government. In addition to the harassment, they are accused of attempting to smuggle sensitive U.S. military technology into China.
The unnamed artist, who is based in Los Angeles, had publicly criticized Chinese President Xi Jinping and was preparing to protest during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit set for November 2023 in San Francisco. The artist’s prior work included provocative sculptures of Xi Jinping and his wife, which represented them kneeling and bound, a portrayal that has garnered significant attention.
Prosecutors revealed that Cui and Miller, unbeknownst to them, employed two undercover FBI agents as part of their plan. Their intentions included installing a tracking device on the artist’s car, slashing its tires, and destroying the artist's sculptures; however, they were unsuccessful in executing these actions.
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