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NYPD Officer Arrested After Allegedly Spying on Tibetan New Yorkers for China

NYPD PBA Baimadajie Angwang

A New York City police officer was arrested Monday and charged with "acting as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China."

Baimadajie Angwang, who is also a United States Army reservist, was additionally charged with committing wire fraud, making false statements and obstructing an official proceeding in addition to acting as an illegal agent, the Eastern District of New York Attorney's Office announced in a press release Monday.

The Tibetan native is a naturalized U.S. citizen, is a community liason in the NYPD's 111th Precinct and has "allegedly acted at the direction and control of officials at the PRC Consulate in New York City" since at least 2014, according to the press release.

Angwang, 33, allegedly reported information about Chinese citizens living in New York to a member of the Chinese consulate, who prosecutors say was his "handler."

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A complaint in support of an arrest warrant for Angwang that was unsealed Monday included records of calls and text messages between the police officer and the consulate member — who Angwang called "Boss" — dating back to 2018.

According to the complaint, Angwang officer "reported on the activities of ethnic Tibetans, and others, in the New York metropolitan area to the Consulate, (2) spotted and assessed potential ethnic Tibetan intelligence sources in the New York metropolitan area and beyond, and (3) used his official position in the NYPD to provide Consulate officials access to senior NYPD officials through invitations to official NYPD events."

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"None of these activities falls within the scope of ANGWANG’s official duties and responsibilities with either the NYPD or the USAR," the complaint said.

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea condemned the officer in a statement Monday, saying that Angwang "violated every oath he took in this country."

"One to the United States, another to the U.S. Army, and a third to this Police Department," Shea said. "From the earliest stages of this investigation, the NYPD’s Intelligence and Internal Affairs bureaus worked closely with the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division to make sure this individual would be brought to justice."

Angwang was scheduled to appear in court Monday afternoon. It was not immediately clear if he has legal representation or if he has entered a plea at this time.