The US Department of Justice announced Wednesday that it had charged a Chinese national with conspiring to act in the US as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China.

Sun Hoi Ying, also known as Sun Haiying, spent at least five years—from February 2017 through February 2022 — acting in the US as an agent of the PRC government. According to the press release, Ying failed to notify the US Attorney General, which was required by law.

US prosecutors alleged that Sun Hoi Ying was operating in the United States as part of “Operation Fox Hunt,” a global operation allegedly conducted by China to repress dissent around the globe and punish Chinese citizens who are beyond the reach of Chinese jurisdiction. The DOJ alleged that Sun attempted to coerce and threaten Chinese nationals into returning to China to face charges brought by the Chinese government. Among other things, Sun was accused of hiring private investigators to gather personal information on Operation Fox Hunt targets.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen stated:

This case demonstrates, once again, the PRC’s disdain for the rule of law and its efforts to coerce and intimidate those it targets on our shores as part of its Operation Fox Hunt. The defendant allegedly traveled to the United States and enlisted others, including a sworn law enforcement officer, to spy on and blackmail his victims. Such conduct is both criminal and reprehensible.

Sun was charged with one count of conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General, which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, and one count of acting as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the Attorney General, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

According to Reuters, Sun is at large in China. It is unclear when he left the United States.