Prosecutors Say They’re Spies, But Charges Tell a Different Story

A review of court filings and transcripts of hearings shows the charges and allegations are far less serious, frequently involving misstatements surrounding a visa application—a violation often punished with less than a year in prison. In only one case has a researcher been charged with acting as a foreign government agent, and she was allowed to return to China eight months before her indictment, leaving little chance she’ll face legal proceedings in the U.S.