Undocumented Chinese immigrant charged with shipping weapons to North Korea
An undocumented Chinese national living in the U.S. has been charged with procuring and shipping guns, ammunition and electronics to North Korea, according to federal prosecutors.
Prosecutors say Shenghua Wen was allegedly moving items to North Korea by concealing them in shipping containers from Long Beach, California, through Hong Kong and then to North Korea.
He was arrested on Tuesday morning at his home in Ontario, California, and ordered to be held without bond. His arraignment has been scheduled for Jan. 7, 2025.
In a briefing Tuesday, prosecutors allege Wen was helping North Korea obtain materials for a surprise attack on South Korea.
Federal agents in August seized two devices from Wen's home that he had allegedly planned to send to North Korea for its military use -- a chemical threat identification device and a handheld broadband receiver, according to a criminal complaint.
Prosecutors said in a briefing that these items, as well as other requests from North Korea, including for plane engines and military uniforms, were intended for the attack on South Korea.
In September, over 50,000 rounds of ammo were found in Wen's vehicle that he allegedly admitted were heading to North Korea, the complaint says.
Wen entered the United States on a student visa in 2012 and never left, according to the complaint.
He allegedly met North Korean officials in China before he came to the U.S., the complaint alleges. He was then directed to procure goods on behalf of North Korea.
Being in the U.S. illegally, Wen knew he could not buy the goods so he allegedly relied on straw purchases, using other people to purchase the guns, prosecutors say.
He was sent $2 million from North Korea to allegedly set up a federally licensed firearms business in Texas and to make the straw purchases, according to prosecutors.
U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said Tuesday, "The conduct alleged in this complaint is chilling."
