The sibling of a student at a university in Ontario, who was detained in an FBI operation related to counter-intelligence, has refuted claims that her brother was knowingly involved in espionage activities for Beijing.
In a social media post, Meixuan Wang dismissed the allegations by stating, “If my brother is a Chinese spy, then I’m Trump’s father.” The student in question, Weiheng Zeng, a Chinese national born in 2004 and enrolled at the University of Waterloo, was apprehended while trying to cross the U.S. border from Windsor, Ontario, last month. He faces charges of providing false statements.
A criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Michigan revealed that Zeng confessed to accepting monetary compensation for completing “taskings” from an individual he believed to be linked to a Chinese security agency. The complaint included surveillance footage depicting a man climbing a forklift, attempting to access a locked FedEx truck, and taking photographs from a parking area at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in April.
Zeng admitted to investigators that he was instructed by his unnamed contact to capture images of aircraft and their tail numbers in exchange for $20-30 US dollars per picture. Additionally, the complaint detailed Zeng’s involvement in trespassing and photographing activities at a FedEx facility at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport the previous year, as requested by the same unidentified individual.
Prosecutor Alyse Wu characterized the allegations as activities resembling espionage during a hearing at the Detroit court. The U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesperson, Gina Balaya, confirmed that the case remains under investigation.
Weiheng Zeng, known as “Billy” on his public Instagram profile, self-identifies as a “photography lover” and anticipates graduating from Waterloo’s global business and digital arts program in 2028. His social media showcases images of airplanes, including Canadian military aircraft apparently photographed at an air show in 2024.
His sister, Jade Wang, disclosed to the Globe and Mail that Zeng has a passion for airplanes and is on the autism spectrum. She suggested that Zeng might not have comprehended the severity of his situation during the border questioning. Wang declined an interview request from CBC News.
Zeng, represented by court-appointed federal defender Rhonda Brazile, is set for another court appearance next week. He remains in custody and has not sought release on bond.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed awareness of the case but refrained from commenting on their involvement in the FBI’s investigation. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) redirected inquiries to the RCMP.
Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, an advisory board member at the China Strategic Risks Institute, expressed sympathy for Zeng, suggesting he may have been unwittingly embroiled in the situation. She highlighted China’s Ministry of State Security’s practice of leveraging students abroad to gather intelligence and take photographs beneficial to Beijing’s espionage efforts.
An anonymous Chinese Embassy spokesperson in Ottawa released a statement condemning the dissemination of unfounded allegations and speculations regarding a ‘China spy threat.’ Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a former chief of CSIS’s Asia-Pacific unit, explained that individuals paid to execute tasks for intelligence agencies are commonly referred to as “co-optees.” He posited that Zeng might fall into this category rather than being a direct spy.
The case continues to attract attention as investigations progress into the circumstances surrounding Weiheng Zeng’s arrest and alleged involvement in espionage-related activities.