Summoned by Xi Three Times, He Couldn't Resist and Landed in a U.S. Prison

Left: In 2016, John Chen organized a "Red Songs" event at the San Gabriel Theater in California, which was met with public protests.
Right: In 2019, John Chen threatened pro-democracy activists at an event in Monterey Park, Los Angeles, and was surrounded by members of the public. (Dajiyuan Composite)

[People News] On November 19, 72-year-old pro-CCP "community leader" John Chen (Chen Jun) from California was sentenced by the U.S. Federal Court for the Southern District of New York to 20 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and fined $50,000. He was convicted of acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government and bribing a U.S. official. Chen pleaded guilty on July 24 of this year.

According to the indictment, between January and May 2023, John Chen and his bodyguard, Lin Feng, acting under the remote direction of Chinese officials, used the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) whistleblower system to file reports against the Shen Yun Performing Arts troupe, operated by Falun Gong practitioners. Their objective was to have the IRS revoke Shen Yun's tax-exempt status.

To expedite their reports into the IRS review and audit process, they bribed an IRS official with a total of $5,000 in cash over two payments, promising more money if their plan succeeded.

What Chen never anticipated was that the IRS official he bribed was actually an undercover FBI agent. The entire bribery process was monitored by the FBI.

On May 26, 2023, after gathering sufficient evidence, the FBI moved in and arrested Chen and Lin.

At 72 years old, instead of enjoying his later years peacefully at home with his grandchildren, Chen chose to serve the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). This decision not only made him a criminal but also led to his imprisonment and the ruin of his reputation. Such an outcome is both tragic and self-inflicted.

Chen's 20-month prison sentence serves as a warning to CCP spies, agents, and proxies engaged in transnational repression on behalf of the regime. His case carries at least three key lessons.

First Lesson: Falling for CCP Propaganda and Becoming Its Sacrificial Pawn

Despite living in the freedom of the United States, where he had easy access to information about the truth of "Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good," and the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong, John Chen chose to remain aligned with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He could have freely accessed websites like The Epoch Times, NTD Television, and Sound of Hope, where countless articles, videos, and other content expose the truth about Falun Gong and the CCP's abuses.

However, instead of seeking the truth, Chen remained mentally tethered to the CCP. On the issue of Falun Gong, he not only refused to listen to or view accurate information but also became deeply influenced by the CCP's lies and propaganda. He chose to believe the CCP's slanderous narratives about Falun Gong, leading him to actively assist in the regime's efforts to suppress Falun Gong practitioners in the U.S. Through his actions, he sought to help the CCP achieve its goal of "toppling Falun Gong," but instead, he became a scapegoat for the CCP.

Second Lesson: Blinded by Greed, One Misstep Leads to Lifelong Regret

John Chen, a businessman with ventures in both the U.S. and China, actively participated in the CCP’s transnational repression of Falun Gong largely because he hoped to gain financial benefits and favors from the CCP for his business dealings.

In 2008, The Los Angeles Times reported on Chen’s rivalry with two other pro-CCP individuals for the position of "community leader" among Southern California’s Chinese diaspora. According to the article, Chen once stated, "Being the leader has its perks," and "It enhances your credibility when doing business in China." Chen was described as having "close ties to the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles." He also admitted that roughly eight years earlier, the Chinese consulate had helped him pressure a Chinese manufacturer into paying back a $600,000 debt. "I told the consul general... China (the CCP) needs bridges like us," he said.

The materials Chen received that allegedly exposed issues with Shen Yun Performing Arts were fabricated by individuals with ulterior motives. Without verifying the authenticity of the documents, Chen believed them to be true, considering them "important evidence" to help the CCP "take down Falun Gong" in the U.S. He submitted these false materials to the IRS, ultimately sabotaging himself.

This case demonstrates that Chen’s greed clouded his judgment. Thinking he had stumbled upon a lucrative opportunity, he instead made a catastrophic mistake, landing himself in a U.S. prison. Blinded by the lure of benefits, he fell into a trap of his own making.

Third Lesson: Boarding the CCP’s Pirate Ship, Only to Be Discarded

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is a regime that stops at nothing to achieve its goals. It used these tactics to seize power in the past, and it continues to use them today to maintain its authoritarian rule.

One of the CCP's so-called "Three Magic Weapons" is its united front strategy. The united front involves enticing "targets" with money, fame, status, sexual favors, and luxuries to lure them onto the CCP’s "pirate ship." Once onboard, the CCP promises various benefits in exchange for their service. However, when something goes wrong, the CCP will immediately disown and abandon them.

John Chen was one of the CCP’s united front targets in the U.S. He held leadership positions in several CCP-affiliated organizations in America. Since 2004, Chen had served as an overseas advisor and member of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, headquartered in Beijing. Starting in 2008, he became a council member of the Beijing-based China Overseas Friendship Association. From 2008 to 2017, he also served as a council member and executive council member of the China Overseas Exchange Association, another Beijing-based organization.

Chen enjoyed many privileges through these connections. In 2008, he attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics at the CCP’s invitation. In 2015, he participated in the "September 3rd" military parade. In 2019, he was invited to the 70th-anniversary reception of the CCP's founding, and in 2021, he attended the CCP’s centenary celebrations.

In a recorded phone conversation, Chen proudly stated that he had "climbed to this position step by step" and that Xi Jinping had personally summoned him three times in ten years. His iCloud account even contained a photo of him with Xi Jinping.

Now, however, after serving the CCP and being sentenced to 20 months in a U.S. prison, has any CCP official publicly spoken out in support of Chen? Not a single one.

Chen was merely a pawn in the CCP’s united front strategy. When trouble arose, the CCP discarded him like a piece of trash.

Conclusion

The way the CCP has treated John Chen is deeply rooted in its nature.

The Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, a series of editorials published by The Epoch Times in 2004, provides a clear and thorough explanation of what the CCP truly is. While the CCP is adept at disguising itself with ever-changing facades that deceive people, stripping away its mask reveals its true essence: an entity characterized by deceit, cruelty, conflict, and opposition to nature, humanity, and divine principles—a demonic force or cult.

Had John Chen taken the time to read the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and recognized the CCP's evil nature, he would not have been manipulated by this demonic entity, nor would he be facing imprisonment today.

It is strongly recommended that those targeted by the CCP’s united front strategies read the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. Only by understanding the true nature of the CCP can one avoid falling into its traps. △

(Adapted from Dajiyuan)