Spying for China: Prison sentence for MEP employee

Jian G., a former employee of the AfD member of parliament Maximilian Krah, has been sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for many years of espionage for China. The Dresden Higher Regional Court found the German's secret service agent activities to be a particularly serious offense. According to federal prosecutor Stephan Morweiser, this is "the most serious case of Chinese espionage in Germany" uncovered to date.

As an employee in Krah's former MEP office in the European Parliament, G. is said to have collected information from 2019 to 2024. He is also alleged to have passed on confidential documents to Chinese authorities. As Krah was a member of the Committee on International Trade, this was a "significant source of information" for G., said presiding judge Hans Schlüter-Staats.

G. did not have to use any particular criminal energy to obtain the information. It was "handed to him on a silver platter by Krah," said Schlüter-Staats. According to his own testimony, Krah had shared the password for his personal access. In this way, G. was also able to access sensitive documents that were reserved for members of parliament, said Schlüter-Staats. The verdict is not yet final. An appeal can be lodged with the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe within one week.

Krah was not surprised by the court's decision. "I took the necessary steps immediately after the arrest and significantly increased security in my office," he said. His main concern is to gain clarity about the machinations "of which I have become a victim. The trial has brought me closer to this goal, which is why I welcome it," said Krah.

Krah is being investigated by the Dresden public prosecutor's office in separate proceedings. This involves bribery and money laundering in connection with Chinese payments. The allegations relate to Krah's activities as an MEP. He has so far denied the allegations. dpa