Retired U.S. Cop Helped Track, Harass Chinese Nationals Living in America
THUNDER BAY – INTERNATIONAL CRIME – A retired New York City Police Department sergeant turned private investigator has been sentenced to prison for his role in a chilling international harassment campaign targeting Chinese nationals living in the United States.
Michael McMahon, 57, of Mahwah, New Jersey, was sentenced on April 16 to 18 months in federal prison and fined $11,000 for acting as an unregistered agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and for participating in a transnational scheme involving interstate stalking and intimidation.
The case marks the first U.S. trial conviction linked to the PRC’s covert “Operation Fox Hunt,” an effort to repatriate Chinese nationals accused of corruption abroad—often through illegal and coercive means.
Co-Defendants Also Sentenced
McMahon’s co-conspirators, Zhu Yong, 68, and Congying Zheng, 29, both New York residents, were convicted alongside him in 2023 and sentenced earlier this year to 24 months and 16 months in prison, respectively. Three other individuals connected to the scheme have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
International Campaign of Intimidation
Between 2016 and 2019, McMahon and his associates tracked, harassed, and surveilled a Chinese national, referred to in court as John Doe #1, and his family. The operation sought to force Doe and his wife, Jane Doe #1, to return to China to face alleged corruption charges under “Operation Fox Hunt” and its sister program, “Operation Sky Net.”
The couple had sought refuge in the U.S. after being targeted for political reasons and made efforts to keep their location private. But Zhu hired McMahon to locate them. McMahon, using his background as a retired NYPD officer, gathered sensitive information, surveilled family members, and reported directly to Chinese officials, including a PRC police officer.
Pressure Tactics Crossed International Lines
PRC officials allegedly threatened Doe’s sister in China to pressure his ailing father—then 82 and recovering from a brain hemorrhage—into traveling to New Jersey in 2017. McMahon tailed the elderly man, ultimately revealing Doe’s location to PRC agents.
In 2018, co-conspirators showed up at Doe’s residence, tried to force entry, and left a chilling note warning that his “wife and children will be okay” if he returned to China to face a 10-year sentence.
Mocking Law Enforcement & Hiding Payments
Text messages revealed McMahon was aware his actions were part of a foreign campaign to return the victim to China. When joking about a potential police abduction investigation, McMahon replied with “Lol.” He even researched the couple’s daughter’s university records to enhance the intimidation.
McMahon received over $19,000 for his role, with payments funnelled through his son’s bank account in an effort to hide their origin.
Justice Department Condemns Transnational Repression
U.S. officials, including Sue J. Bai, head of the DOJ’s National Security Division, and U.S. Attorney John J. Durham, called the case a disturbing example of foreign governments targeting individuals on U.S. soil.
A Warning for Victims
The FBI and the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service are urging any individuals who believe they are being harassed by foreign governments to report it. The FBI has launched a website for victims of transnational repression to seek support and file complaints.l
