Extradition of a US Think Tank Director Who Was Alleged to Have Been a Chinese Agent

Gal Luft, head of a U.S. think tank and indicted last year for acting as a Chinese agent, has been re-arrested after previously fleeing while on bail, according to prosecutors. Luft, a dual U.S.–Israeli citizen and co-director of the Washington-based Institute for the Analysis of Global Security, is set to be extradited in the near future.

The exact details of his re-arrest, including when and where it occurred, were not disclosed in the court filing dated September 9.

Initially arrested in Cyprus on February 17 of last year, Luft fled after being released on bail pending extradition.

Following his arrest, Luft claimed on social media that the charges against him were politically motivated.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) unsealed an eight-count indictment against Luft in July, accusing him of participating in various international criminal schemes over several years.

The charges include illicit arms trafficking, making false statements to federal agents, failing to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, and evading Iranian oil sanctions.

According to the indictment, Luft allegedly struck a $350,000 annual deal with the head of the China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC), a Hong Kong-based NGO linked to China’s state-run CEFC China Energy, which went bankrupt in 2020.

In 2016, Luft is said to have agreed to covertly recruit and pay a former high-ranking U.S. official, an adviser to then-President-elect Donald Trump, to support specific policies concerning China.

Prosecutors also allege that Luft created a written "dialogue" between the CEFC head and the U.S. official, which was published in Chinese media and distributed to U.S. universities.

Additionally, Luft is accused of attempting to broker illicit arms deals from Chinese companies to Libya, Kenya, and the UAE, including anti-tank launchers, grenade launchers, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Luft also allegedly sought to arrange oil deals for Iranian petroleum by disguising it as "Brazilian" oil, violating U.S. sanctions and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

According to a Congressional Research Service report, Iranian petroleum exports hit a record high in early 2024, mostly to China.

Upon extradition, Luft will face charges in the Southern District Court of New York and will need to enter a plea.

The DOJ has recently targeted several alleged Chinese agents, including a former deputy chief of staff to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, who was arrested on September 3.

In August, the DOJ charged two Chinese Americans for allegedly spying for China’s Ministry of State Security while posing as pro-democracy activists.