US prosecutor seeks no bail for Hong Kong-born ex-CIA officer accused of spying for China
- Alexander Ma, 67, was arrested in sting operation after accepting thousands in cash for espionage activities
- He allegedly told undercover agent he wanted to see ‘motherland’ succeed and he was eager to resume helping China after coronavirus pandemic subsided
US prosecutors are asking that a former CIA officer and contract linguist for the FBI be held without bail on charges of spying for China.
Alexander Yuk Ching Ma, 67, had his first court hearing Tuesday, appearing by phone from the Honolulu Federal Detention Center.
He was arrested last week after an undercover operation in which prosecutors say he accepted thousands of dollars in cash in exchange for espionage activities.
He told a law enforcement officer who was posing as a Chinese intelligence operative that he wanted to see the “motherland” succeed and that he was eager to resume helping China after the coronavirus pandemic subsided, prosecutors said.
A detention hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
A judge provisionally appointed a federal defender to represent Ma. “I don’t believe that he can afford counsel,” said Assistant Federal Defender Craig Jerome, adding that he has yet to have an extensive financial conversation with his client.