On October 24, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced charges against two Chinese intelligence officers relating to alleged efforts to obstruct the ongoing prosecution of Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. by soliciting sensitive information from U.S. law enforcement.

Public filings relating to the case suggest that the scheme involved a hybrid effort in which the intelligence officers were in contact with Chinese officials and with Huawei itself.

In light of diplomatic tension related to the Huawei prosecution, it is hardly surprising to learn of a Chinese foreign intelligence operation intended to disrupt the case. And while China's target was the U.S. government in this instance, the defendants' alleged conduct and methodologies illustrate security risks and compliance challenges faced by private U.S. entities and their personnel related to insider threats and corporate espionage.