Chen Jun Sentenced to 20 Months for Assisting the CCP in Cross-Border Interference Against Shen Yun

In October 2016, the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse in California hosted a "Red Song Concert" commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party's Long March, despite protests. The event was organized by pro-CCP figure Chen Jun. (Photo by Liu Fei / Dajiyuan)

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

According to a report by Dajiyuan journalist Cai Rong from New York, the indictment alleged that from January to May 2023, Chen Jun and his bodyguard Lin Feng acted under the direction of the Chinese government to advance plans to suppress and harass Falun Gong practitioners in the United States. They were involved in manipulating the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) whistleblower program, attempting to revoke the tax-exempt status of Shen Yun Performing Arts, a group operated by Falun Gong practitioners. As part of this effort, they paid a bribe to an undercover FBI agent posing as an IRS official and promised to share the reward money once the plan succeeded.

In phone conversations, Chen Jun explicitly stated that the purpose of the bribe was to achieve the CCP's goal of "overthrowing Falun Gong." According to wiretaps authorized by the judiciary, Chen and Lin discussed deleting evidence after receiving instructions from "PRC Official-1" to avoid detection. They also mentioned the need to "alert" the official if the plan failed. This official was identified as the person responsible for the bribery operation. Ultimately, both Chen and Lin were arrested in May of last year.

Prosecution: Defendant "Corrupted U.S. Systems to Oppose Falun Gong"

Before sentencing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Dennis Lockard recommended a 30-month prison sentence for Chen Jun. He emphasized that given the severity of Chen’s crimes and the need to deter future offenses, sentencing at the high end of the guideline range (24 to 30 months) was necessary. From the victims’ perspective, he argued, this would also be an appropriate punishment.

Lockard highlighted the national security threat posed by the CCP to the United States and noted that the defendant had voluntarily collaborated with the CCP. Chen Jun was a willing partner of the CCP who "voluntarily and eagerly" aligned himself with the Party and shared its ideology. He had previously served in the Chinese military and held government positions, boasting about "climbing to this position step by step" and being summoned by Xi Jinping three times within a decade. He even referred to CCP leaders as his "close brothers."

Lockard explained that the CCP considers Falun Gong one of its top five threats, alongside Taiwan, Tibet, and others. The CCP targets Falun Gong practitioners in the U.S. because it views the group as a danger. Chen Jun was fully aware of the CCP’s "power struggle" with Falun Gong and saw it as his mission to contribute to this effort.

Chen Jun attempted to "corrupt U.S. systems to oppose Falun Gong" through bribery, intending to revoke the group’s tax-exempt status. The bribe amounted to $50,000, a sum Lockard noted was specifically chosen by Chen Jun, as the undercover agent did not request a specific amount.

Lockard also pointed out that Chen Jun lived in the U.S. while maintaining business interests in China and regularly traveling there, where he held honorary positions. He enjoyed the freedoms of the United States yet sought to "use those freedoms to undermine the fundamental freedoms of Falun Gong practitioners in America."

While Chen’s co-defendant, Lin Feng, was sentenced to only 16 months, Lockard stressed the significant difference in their roles. Chen Jun recruited Lin Feng and provided funding, while Lin’s ties to CCP leadership were not as close.

Chen Jun Shows No Remorse

Chen Jun’s defense attorney, Julie Rendelman, argued for a sentence of time served, citing his guilty plea, lack of prior criminal record, and the short duration of his criminal activity. She also emphasized his advanced age. Rendelman contended that other cases referenced by the prosecution, which resulted in 30-month sentences, were not comparable to Chen’s. For instance, one cited case involved a significantly younger defendant whose criminal conduct spanned over a decade.

Judge Nelson Stephen Roman noted that Chen Jun was the mastermind of the operation, responsible for key decisions, and played a more significant role than his co-defendant Lin Feng. Thus, he bore greater responsibility and warranted a harsher sentence.

While Rendelman acknowledged Chen Jun’s central role, she argued that his age made additional prison time unnecessary. The judge countered that being older should mean having greater wisdom and discernment. Rendelman defended Chen Jun’s actions by suggesting cognitive decline due to his age.

Before sentencing, the judge gave Chen Jun the opportunity to make a final statement, as is customary for defendants to express remorse or confess their wrongdoing. However, Chen Jun’s remarks were limited to: "I would like to express my gratitude to the court and the U.S. government. I apologize for the trouble I’ve caused you."

Chen Jun also claimed in court: "I want to clarify that I have no organizational ties to the CCP. I left the Party in 1990." His lawyer similarly argued that Chen was no longer a CCP member and had not been one for over 20 years. She stated that attempts to obtain verification documents from the CCP were unsuccessful.

However, Chen’s claims conflicted with evidence and his previous actions. For instance: In 2016, he prominently organized a "Red Song Concert" in Los Angeles to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party’s Long March. In 2021, he authored an article for the Tianjin United Front Work Department website titled The Communist Party of China is the Pride of Overseas Chinese, where he declared, "I will always follow the Party." After his arrest, authorities found on his electronic devices a membership application, a CCP approval letter, photos of him participating in the CCP’s centennial celebration in 2021, and a picture with CCP leader Xi Jinping, underscoring his close ties to the CCP.

Ultimately, the judge sentenced Chen Jun to 20 months in prison for each charge (to be served concurrently), followed by 3 years of supervised release, and imposed a $50,000 forfeiture. Having already served 16 months, Chen Jun must serve an additional 4 months in prison.

Prosecutor: The Judicial System Will Hold Transnational Repressors Accountable

Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, issued a statement on the 19th, saying:
"Chen Jun aligned himself with the Chinese government and its goals of harassing and intimidating Falun Gong. We will not tolerate actions aimed at suppressing free speech by targeting critics of the Chinese Communist Party within the United States. Today’s sentencing serves as a clear warning against such misconduct. The U.S. judicial system will hold accountable those who attempt malicious transnational repression on American soil."