The chief of a US thinktank who was indicted final 12 months on expenses of appearing as an unregistered agent of China has been arrested and will probably be extradited within the coming weeks or months, prosecutors stated on Monday.
In July 2023, federal prosecutors in Manhattan accused Gal Luft of paying a former high-ranking US authorities official on behalf of principals primarily based in China in 2016, in addition to searching for to dealer the sale of weapons and Iranian oil.
Luft, a twin US-Israeli citizen, was arrested in Cyprus final February however fled whereas launched on bail, prosecutors stated in a courtroom submitting. He has since been re-arrested, prosecutors stated, with out specifying when or the place.
Luft, the co-director of the Washington-based Institute for the Evaluation of International Safety, stated in posts on X final 12 months that he had by no means been an arms supplier and that the fees had been “politically motivated.“
The Institute for the Evaluation of International Safety describes itself as a thinktank targeted on vitality, safety and financial traits. The group final 12 months stated it was satisfied of Luft’s innocence.
Neither Luft nor the institute instantly responded to requests for touch upon Monday.
The US justice division is cracking down on alleged brokers of adversaries like Russia and China. Final week, federal prosecutors charged two staff of Russian state media community RT with scheming to affect the 2024 election.
In addition they charged a former New York state authorities worker with selling China’s pursuits. Congressional Republicans have touted Luft as a probably helpful supply of their investigation into alleged corruption by Joe Biden. The White Home has dismissed the Republican inquiry as unsubstantiated.
As soon as Luft is extradited, he’ll seem in Manhattan federal courtroom and be requested to enter a plea.
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