The person at the center of this case
United States national security interests
Cold Case · Open - Wanted
65 days waiting
BI HONGWEI
Justice for United States national security interests — the trail went cold in 2026, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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suspect
Lead #1What specific recruitment operations did Bi Hongwei conduct, and which U.S. individuals or institutions were targeted?
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evidence
Lead #2What intelligence methods and communications were used between Bi Hongwei, Wang Lin, and other conspirators?
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location
Lead #3Why does Bi Hongwei travel frequently to Southeast Asia and the Bahamas—are these regions connected to ongoing intelligence operations?
Bi Hongwei is a Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) intelligence officer wanted for allegedly conspiring to act as an illegal agent of the People's Republic of China in the United States from 1997 through 2018. Working alongside senior MSS officer Wang Lin and others, he allegedly conducted clandestine operations to recruit individuals to act against U.S. interests. Federal arrest warrants were issued in October 2022, and he remains at large with known travel patterns to Southeast Asia and the Bahamas.
Case
#1163
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
👤
person
Lead #4What was Bi Hongwei's exact role and rank within China's MSS, and how did he coordinate with Wang Lin's academic cover operations?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
Conspiracy to Act in the United States as an Illegal Agent of a Foreign Government Caution: Bi Hongwei, Wang Lin , Dong Ting , and Wang Qiang are wanted for their alleged involvement in a conspiracy to act in the United States as agents of a foreign government, namely the People’s Republic of China. From at least 1997 through at least 2018, these individuals allegedly conspired to conduct clandestine and covert human source operations against the United States.
Wang Lin, a senior intelligence officer with China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), allegedly acted under academic cover as the Director of the Institute for International Studies at Ocean University of China, in order to gain access to intelligence targets. Wang Lin and the others then allegedly conducted covert operations in order to recruit other individuals to act against the United States to benefit the People’s Republic of China.
Bi Hongwei was an MSS intelligence officer who allegedly acted for and on behalf of the People’s Republic of China and the MSS. In October of 2022, federal arrest warrants were issued for Bi Hongwei, Wang Lin, Dong Ting, and Wang Qiang in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Trenton, New Jersey, after they were charged with Conspiracy to Act in the United States as an Illegal Agent of a Foreign Government.
Remarks: Bi Hongwei is known to travel to Southeast Asia and the Bahamas.
Timeline of Events
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1997
Conspiracy period begins
Alleged conspiracy to act as illegal agent of PRC begins
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2018
Conspiracy period ends
Alleged conspiracy activities continue through at least 2018
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October 2022
Federal arrest warrants issued
Warrants issued in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Trenton, New Jersey
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:January 1, 1997
Last Updated:May 19, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:January 1, 1997
Last Updated:May 19, 2026