Alexander Yuk Ching Ma, the 71-year-old Chinese government spy, was sentenced to ten years in jail. Native of Hong Kong who became a US citizen, Ma revealed to an undercover FBI agent he had sold US intelligence secrets to China, which resulted in his August 2020 arrest.
Ma was employed by the CIA from 1982 until his brief re-entry into the FBI in 1989. Ma’s plea deal mandates that he work with US government authorities for the remainder of his life, which includes taking part in polygraph examinations and debriefings.
US lawyers claim that Ma has been helpful and participated in many interviews with federal investigators throughout the Wednesday punishment hearing. However, according to the prosecution, Ma collaborated with a CIA agent to supply intelligence to the Shanghai State Security Bureau. Video footage from a meeting in Hong Kong showed Ma handling $50,000 in cash in exchange for sensitive information.
Remarkably, Ma lived in Hawaii and worked for the FBI as a contract linguist in 2004. Using this work as a cover to monitor and investigate his actions, the FBI knew he was conducting espionage. Ma’s brother, a CIA agent and participant in the espionage passed away before he could face charges.
After the sentencing, FBI Honolulu Special Agent-in-Charge Steven Merrill stated that this case sends a clear message: authorities will bring offenders to justice, regardless of the time it takes. After completing his jail sentence, Chinese government spy Alexander Yuk Ching Ma will be freed from detention under five years of supervision.
