A federal jury convicted a Chinese national and Berklee College of Music student for threatening and stalking someone who posted flyers supporting democracy in China on campus, court documents said, according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release.
Xiaolei Wu, a People’s Republic of China (PRC) national, was convicted after a jury trial lasting four days on counts of cyberstalking, stalking and interstate transmissions of threatening communication, the documents revealed, according to the DOJ.
“No one in this country should ever be subjected to threats of violence or a cyberstalking harassment campaign for expressing their political views. Mr. Wu now stands as a convicted felon for his illegal efforts to suppress speech by a fellow Berklee School of Music student who was critical of the government of China. This type of conduct will never be tolerated,” Joshua S. Levy, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Massachusetts District, stated, the press release said.
“The Department of Justice is committed to safeguarding the fundamental right to free speech for all. Our office will hold accountable individuals whose actions threaten or violate this fundamental tenet of our democratic society,” he added, according to the DOJ. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Leadership Of Major US Landowner Chock-Full Of Chinese Communist Party Members)
Between approximately Oct. 22, 2022 and Oct. 24, 2022, the 26-year-old tried to communicate with the victim who posted flyers in support of democracy in China on the Boston campus numerous times, the documents said, according to the DOJ. The communication happened via email, Instagram, and WeChat, the documents revealed, the DOJ stated. Wu was arrested by the FBI in December 2022 and indicted by a federal grand jury a month later, the documents revealed, according to the press release.
#BREAKING: Today, #FBI Boston Special Agents arrested Xiaolei Wu, a Chinese national and Berklee College of Music student, for allegedly stalking an individual who posted fliers supporting democracy in China. https://t.co/fo8aPJYAv1 pic.twitter.com/yNjPJ8XEly
— FBI Boston (@FBIBoston) December 14, 2022
The flyer shown in the press release stated “We want freedom. We want food on our tables. We want to Breathe. We want art. We want democracy. We want to love. Stand with Chinese people.”
“Post more, I will chop your bastard hands off,” Wu wrote in one of the messages to the victim, court documents stated, according to the DOJ.
Wu told the victim that he reported their activity to China’s public security agency and said the agency would “greet” their relatives there, the documents said, the press release stated. Wu got the victim’s address through someone else and posted the victim’s email online, hoping others would attack him through that avenue, the documents stated, according to the press release.
Wu gave the victim’s information to a Chinese government official, the press release noted.
A federal judge will decide any sentencing, the press release explained. Transmissions of threatening communication and cyberstalking can each result in up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, the DOJ said. The convictions can also include up to three years of supervised release, the press release added.