Illegal Chinese migrant hiding out in blue state tried sending weapons to North Korea, feds allege

Federal authorities arrested a Chinese national on Tuesday for allegedly orchestrating a scheme that involved moving weapons to North Korea that were procured and shipped out of the United States.

Shenghua Wen, a 41-year-old illegal migrant living in Ontario, California, was arrested and charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of two decades in federal prison, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Wen allegedly exported firearms, ammunition, and other military items bound for North Korea out of Long Beach, California.

In a press release following the arrest, DOJ officials suggested that Wen was acting at the behest of North Korean officials.

“We have arrested a defendant who allegedly acted at the direction of the North Korean government by conspiring to illegally ship firearms, ammunition, and other military equipment to North Korea,” U.S. attorney Martin Estrada stated. “I am grateful to our law enforcement partners for stopping this threat and their tireless commitment to the security of our nation.”

“The significance of this arrest and discovery of this scheme cannot be overstated,” FBI Los Angeles assistant director in charge Akil Davis stated. “Not only did the investigative team prevent additional restricted items going to the North Korean regime, but they gathered valuable intelligence for the United States and our allies.”

The investigation into Wen and his collaboration with the North Korean government was a multi-agency effort months in the making.

In August, law enforcement seized at the Chinese national’s home a chemical threat identification device and a hand-held broadband receiver that can detect eavesdropping devices, according to the DOJ. The following month, law enforcement seized roughly 50,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that he allegedly intended to ship to North Korea.

Wen’s scheme allegedly involved smuggling military-grade equipment concealed in shipping containers to Hong Kong, with the final destination being North Korea, according to the DOJ. A review of his phone allegedly uncovered conversations he had with co-conspirators about the shipments, photographs of the weapons, and price negotiations for a plane and engine.

The Chinese national entered the country lawfully under a student visa, but then remained in the U.S. after his visa expired, the DOJ confirmed. Under U.S. law, being an illegal migrant prohibits him from possessing any firearms or ammunition, and he lacked the required licenses to ship firearms or ammunition out of the country.

“The defendant’s alleged attempts to illicitly export firearms and military technology from the United States at the behest of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea constitute an alarming violation of sanctions and export control laws,” special agent in charge Gregory Dunlap of the Office of Export Enforcement (OEE) stated. “OEE is committed to working with our federal partners to identify and disrupt illegal export schemes that undermine regional stability and our national security interests at home and abroad.”

While the U.S.-Mexico border has experienced unprecedented levels of illegal immigration under the Biden-Harris administration, the number of foreign nationals who overstayed their visas after entering the country lawfully has also significantly climbed in recent years. More than 850,000 foreign visitors overstayed their authorized stay in fiscal year 2022, according to a Department of Homeland Security report released in June 2023 — marking an overstay rate that more than doubled in recent years.

The number of Chinese nationals illegally crossing into the U.S. reached a peak in fiscal year 2024, according to Customs and Border Protection. Border Patrol agents encountered nearly 38,000 Chinese nationals.

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