The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Ontario student accused of working for Chinese official pleads not guilty in U.S.
An Ontario student accused of working for someone he believed to be a Chinese government official has pleaded not guilty in the United States to making false statements.
A Canadian student who studied at the University of Waterloo has pleaded not guilty in a United States court to making false statements, according to court documents from Michigan.
The individual, Weiheng Zeng, is a Chinese citizen who was in the U.S. after taking photos at Toronto’s Pearson airport and Chicago’s O’Hare airport, following contact with a person he believed to be a Chinese government official.
Authorities say Zeng was linked to an incident at O’Hare in April, when a man was seen taking photos, climbing a forklift, and attempting to open locked trailers at a FedEx facility. A minivan seen at the site was later connected to Zeng.
Border interviews in August involved conflicting statements about where and how Zeng took photos, with investigators reviewing his phone and video material that included aircraft, military planes, and images of people in tactical clothing with firearms. Zeng claimed some photos were taken for a flight radar website and later revised statements to describe different locations and scenarios.
The trial is scheduled to begin in January, with a schedule filed in court.