Bayside Cop, Accused Of Spying For China, Loses Bid For Release

BAYSIDE, QUEENS — A Bayside police officer accused of spying on Tibetans as an agent of the People's Republic of China has lost his appeal to be released from prison while awaiting trial.

Baimadajie Angwang, who worked for the community affairs unit of the NYPD's 111th Precinct in Northeast Queens, has remained behind bars since being arrested by the FBI in September on a slew of federal charges, including acting as an illegal agent for China and wire fraud.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on Friday sided with federal prosecutors and a district judge to keep Angwang detained on the grounds that “no condition or combination of conditions w[ould] reasonably assure" his appearance at trial, according to court records.

A judge previously determined that Angwang was a flight risk and denied bail based on his strong ties to the People's Republic of China and access to significant financial resources.

Angwang stands accused of telling unnamed Chinese officials about the activities of ethnic Tibetans in New York City, sending them names of Tibetan individuals who could be recruited as potential intelligence sources, offering to connect consulate officials with members of the NYPD and providing information on internal police operations, according to a federal complaint.

He is also accused of providing the Chinese officials with information about members of Chinese ethnic minorities who worked for elected officials in New York State and were suspected of harboring negative views of the People's Republic of China.