After being busted earlier this month by the FBI for allegedly spying on China, California realtor Wanying Zhang and her real estate dealings are under intense scrutiny — raising questions about the source of her lavish life-style.
Following her arrest, the 34-year-old, who is accused of working with Chinese handlers to surveil the son of Taiwan’s president, “lied to pretrial services” about the quantity of properties and property she owns, according to prosecutors.
Zhang, also recognized as Heather, had disclosed one property, but she and her husband seem to own seven houses value an estimated $11 million, The Post has realized.
Her attorney, Craig Harbaugh, put this down to a “misunderstanding,” but Assistant US Attorney Amanda Elbogen advised an LA choose: “She’s a real estate agent; she should know what properties she owns.”
Zhang was arrested at Los Angeles airport on October 4 as she tried to board a flight to Shanghai and charged with appearing as an unregistered agent of a overseas authorities. She appeared to dwell a life of luxurious with her household in Irvine, Orange County, jet-setting around the world utilizing the commissions earned from her multi-million greenback property gross sales at JC Pacific Capital, a small brokerage that serves southern California.
She and her husband, Edric Ding, a fellow real estate agent at the same firm, amassed a sprawling property empire and have raked in close to $16 million from promoting houses they own.
But, issues have been raised about the source of her wealth by a realtor who works with them at JC Pacific Capital.
“I’m shocked to hear that,” a colleague who wished to stay nameless advised The Post upon discovering out how many houses she owns.
“It is out of the question to earn that much from commission and become a real estate mogul. The average condo here is $1.5 million. Maybe she really was working for China.”
Prosecutors have accused Zhang of having access to $190,000 in a secret Chinese cryptocurrency account that she “was still receiving profits from” and pointed to her brother having ties to the Chinese authorities.
Last week, a choose in an LA courthouse ruled that Zhang was a flight risk and ordered for her to be taken into custody by US Marshals without bail.
Zhang acquired her real estate license in September 2016. In the decade since, she has bought at least 125 houses ranging from $510,000 up to $8.8 million, according to her Zillow profile.
A quantity of these houses were bought in Arcadia, the metropolis which saw its former mayor Eileen Wang, 58, plead guilty to illegally appearing as an agent for the Chinese Communist Party in May.
A close inspection of these transactions seems to show that Chinese-born California businessman Fatai Miao was concerned in a property deal facilitated by the realtor. He bought a $4 million six-bedroom mansion in Arcadia last 12 months.
Miao, 54, is believed to be the “individual 1” cited in federal court paperwork who accompanied Zhang to Seattle in September 2025 as she allegedly spied on the Taiwanese president’s son.
Surveillance digicam pictures are said to have caught Zhang sitting in a car with a man taking footage of his home and close relations.
Miao is not accused of any wrongdoing, but he is a particular person of curiosity in the FBI’s investigation of Zhang, according to CBS News.
The construction entrepreneur has been in China for the last two weeks to look after his spouse who is receiving therapy there, relations advised the outlet.
FBI brokers serving a search warrant entered his empty Irvine home on Sunday shortly after Zhang was nabbed at the airport.
“Me and my sister got a call on Sunday noon,” Miao’s son, Jiaqi Miao, advised CBS News. “Someone says he’s from the FBI and he has a search warrant. I thought he’s a scammer.
“Then I checked the security camera at our house and I see several government agents holding a gun outside. I was trying to open the door for them using the remote app, but it was too late. They already used the door-breach thing.”
Jiaqi revealed that his father had been pals with Zhang for more than a decade and she even briefly lived in his Arcadia property.
He insisted that Miao is not an undercover Chinese spy. “To be honest, I don’t think he’s smart enough to do those things,” he advised CBS News. “He always follows others.
“My father is the only one in our family to choose to get US citizenship. That’s why I think there’s no reason why he would want to work with the Chinese government.”
In another deal facilitated by Zhang, a latest college graduate from China bought a sprawling six-bedroom home for more than $3.5 million.
Zhang, Ding, Miao and JC Pacific did not reply to requests for remark from The Post.
In a earlier assertion, JC Pacific said: “JC Pacific is conscious of the federal expenses involving Wanying ‘Heather’ Zhang, a real estate skilled affiliated with our brokerage.
“We understand the seriousness of the allegations and the public interest surrounding this matter. JC Pacific will cooperate fully with federal authorities and respond appropriately to any lawful requests for information or assistance.”
But, the company added that “Heather has our support during this process. She has been a valued member of our professional community, and our thoughts are also with her family as they navigate what is undoubtedly an extraordinarily difficult time.”