The case of Wanying “Heather” Zhang, a California real estate agent accused of acting as an agent for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is approaching its formal trial phase. A U.S. federal district judge has ordered the appointment of a Confidential Information Security Officer (CISO) due to the likelihood of sensitive information being involved in the proceedings.
Zhang, 34, has been in custody since her arrest at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on October 4. Initially charged with unlawfully acting as an agent for a foreign government within the United States, she is suspected of being ordered by the CCP to surveil the son of Taiwan’s President, Lai Ching-te. Subsequently, a grand jury added a charge of conspiracy to her case.
On November 12, Zhang was brought to a preliminary hearing in a Santa Ana federal court, where she appeared in shackles, accompanied only by her husband, who was the sole family member present for the court session. Since she pleaded not guilty to the charges, it is anticipated that the case will soon move into formal trial proceedings.
In criminal cases within the United States, if the trial process is likely to involve materials deemed confidential by the government, special security measures are taken according to the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA). These measures are designed to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, and a CISO may be appointed to oversee the management of related data.
The prosecution in Zhang’s case previously filed a motion in accordance with CIPA, prompting the court’s action. Court documents indicate that U.S. District Judge Mónica Ramírez Almadani explicitly stated on November 3 that the court believed the case “likely involves classified information,” thus ordering the appointment of a CISO and designating six individuals as alternate security officers. However, the judge’s order did not specify the nature of the potentially classified materials.
Zhang has recently changed her private defense attorney, transitioning to James Blatt, a veteran defense lawyer with over 50 years of experience. Blatt confirmed to reporters that due to the sensitive nature of the case, novel protocols must be followed. He stated, “I will coordinate with the prosecutors through the court to ensure the necessary procedures are completed.”
Prior to her court appearance on Thursday, Zhang had consented to the switch in legal representation, with the formal document signed on November 2. During the hearing, Blatt requested that Zhang be transferred from the Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center to Orange County’s custody, to which the judge indicated that a transfer recommendation would be made.
The investigation into Zhang has been conducted by the federal government. A grand jury returned two charges against her on October 9: conspiracy with a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and unlawfully acting as an agent of a foreign government within the United States, which could lead to a maximum of ten years behind bars.
According to the grand jury indictment, under the direction of CCP officials, Zhang collaborated with an associate known as “Individual 1,” along with other identified and unidentified individuals, to operate on behalf of the CCP in various ways. For instance, on September 1, 2025, she and “Individual 1” arrived in Seattle, rented a vehicle to surveil a target’s residence, documented images of the home, vehicles, and associated individuals, and transmitted this information back to CCP officials.
It is important to note that “Individual 1” is not Zhang’s husband. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Scott previously highlighted in court that this person is reportedly a “close associate” of Zhang, and it was CCP Ministry of State Security officials who tasked her with conducting surveillance operations in the United States. The prosecution claims that Zhang has been living a “double life,” and that even those closest to her were unaware of her active role as an informant for CCP intelligence operations.
During an October 7 hearing, a federal magistrate judge denied Zhang’s bail request. On October 14, a federal district judge again turned down her motion to revoke the detention order. The judge expressed concerns about a high risk of flight, suggesting that Zhang could potentially leave the United States to evade judicial consequences, and noted her involvement in dishonest conduct during the ongoing legal process. As a result, the court ruled against granting her bail. The case remains in the indictment phase as of now.