A renowned Korean American foreign policy expert was arrested this week on allegations of acting as an unregistered agent for the South Korean government, the U.S. attorney’s office in New York said Wednesday.
Sue Mi Terry, who formerly worked for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the National Security Council and U.S. think tanks, was arrested in New York on Tuesday, the office in the Southern District of New York said in a release, as she was accused of offenses under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
Terry was reportedly released on $500,000 bail on the same day.
In the release, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said Terry allegedly sold out her positions and influence to the Korean government in return for luxury handbags, expensive meals, and thousands of dollars of funding for her public policy program.
“As alleged, Sue Mi Terry, a former CIA and White House employee, subverted foreign agent registration laws in order to provide South Korean intelligence officers with access, information, and advocacy,” the attorney said.
He pointed out that the charges brought against her “should send a clear message to those in public policy who may be tempted to sell their expertise to a foreign government to think twice and ensure you are in accordance with the law.”
Terry has been charged with one count of conspiracy to violate FARA, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of failure to register under FARA, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, the attorney’s office said.
FARA requires any person acting in the U.S. as an agent for a foreign government to register with the attorney general if he or she is engaging 토토사이트 directly or through another person in certain activities, including political and publicity activities, for that foreign government.
After leaving U.S. government service, Terry worked as an agent for the South Korean government without registering as a foreign agent as required by law, according to the allegations in the indictment.
She is alleged to have publicly advocated for South Korea’s policy positions, disclosed non-public U.S. government information to South Korean intelligence officers and enabled Seoul officials to gain access to U.S. government officials.
In the release, Christie Curtis, the acting assistant director in charge of the New York field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), noted that despite “repeated warnings,” Terry allegedly exploited her think tank roles to advance a foreign agenda.
“Her alleged actions posed a severe threat to national security,” Curtis said. “This arrest sends a clear message: the FBI will pursue and arrest anyone who endangers our nation’s security by collaborating with foreign spies.”