The glamorous California realtor accused of spying on a world leader’s son made her first court appearance Monday as her husband dodged questions about her alleged espionage adventures.
Wanying Zhang, faced a judge in downtown Los Angeles wearing a high collared designer jacket, black pants, highlighted hair and shackles as her husband, Edric Ding, looked on.
The hearing took a bizarre turn when Zhang’s public defender, Chad Pennington, asked for a sidebar conversation with the judge seconds after the proceeding began which led to a lengthy 20 minute court recess.
When the parties returned, Zhang was asked if she understood what she was accused of and answered “Yes.”
The proceedings were then continued to Wednesday while Zhang “considered retaining private council,” according to Pennington
Ding, who spent the entire afternoon waiting for the proceedings in the court hallway scrolling on his cell phone, was peppered with questions by the California Post as he left the courthouse.
When asked if his wife was a Chinese spy, Ding looked straight ahead and said nothing. He attempted to block The Post’s camera at times.
The hearing came after the USC-educated realtor was arrested at LAX after being accused of spying for China. Zhang, also known as “Heather,” was busted at the airport Sunday as she tried to board a flight to Shanghai.
Video taken just after the arrest showed several FBI agents leading the handcuffed Zhang through the airport terminal.
The 34-year-old, who lives in Irvine, Orange County, is accused of working with handlers from the People’s Republic of China to surveil the son of Taiwan’s president Ching-Te Lai.
Zhang, who worked for a real estate firm along with her husband Edric Ding, allegedly traveled to Seattle in September 2025 to spy on Ting-Yu Lai, an engineer in his 30s who is based in the US.
Surveillance camera photographs also allegedly caught Zhang sitting in a car with an accomplice taking pictures of his house and close relatives.
Several texts were exchanged in September 2025 between Zhang and other alleged agents about tracking Ting-Yu Lai in Seattle, where he works for electronics giant Philips, according to the FBI’s criminal complaint.
During the exchange, Zhang allegedly told the Chinese government official that she had seen the Taiwanese president’s son. “It’s that young one,” she said.
The official then asked whether Zhang was available for an audio call to discuss the matter, but Zhang responded that she was recording video of him.
The text exchanges described in the federal complaint are a key part of the government’s case against the California realtor.
Zhang’s arrest is the latest in a series of high-profile cases involving allegations of Chinese government influence and espionage in California.
Disgraced former Arcadia mayor Eileen Wang entered a plea in federal court following the bombshell admission that she was a spy for China in March.
Former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell confessed to a prescription drug-fueled sex romp with a suspected Chinese spy,Christine Fang, also known as “Fang Fang,” according to newly released FBI files in August.
‘We have a problem with Beijing using Chinese-Americans for their own purposes in California. They are using them for their own foreign affairs because they are playing the long game to get a competitive advantage over us,” AG Bill Essayli said.
