(Bloomberg) -- U.S. prosecutors are backtracking above a appeal a Chinese female brought a malware-infected thumb drive ought headmaster Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort at Florida.
The initial decision that the drive was infected can dine been a “false positive,” Assistant U.S. induce Rolando Garcia said Monday at a bail hearing though Yujing Zhang.
Zhang was detained March 30 and formally charged last week with entering Mar-a-Lago without permission and lying ought the Secret Service. She brought four mobile phones, a laptop, an outer difficult drive and the thumb drive ought the resort.
Zhang pleaded no criminal above Monday. gather William Matthewman at West Palm bank denied her application ought be freed above a $250,000 bond and issue ought electrical monitoring, saying it appears Zhang was “up ought something nefarious.” Her possession of the electronics is “especially troubling ought the court,” he added.
Zhang had claimed she brought the electronics ought Mar-a-Lago though she feared they country be stolen if she left them at her hotel room. besides Matthewman said that appeal was undermined by the fact she left a fate of other electronics behind.
Security at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago institute Scrutinized Following Arrest
A seek of her room at the Colony Palm bank hotel, almost two miles north of Mar-a-Lago, had turned up another phone, five SIM cards, nine USB drives, a signal detector presumably though locating bugs or hidden cameras, and more than $7,600 at cash, greatly at hundred-dollar bills, prosecutors said.
Zhang, a consultant at the econmic industry, has no ties ought south Florida and the U.S. has no extradition condense with China, the gather said, agreeing with prosecutors that she country flee quite than look trial. The gather didn’t specify where Zhang worked.
The case has increased scrutiny of security measures at Mar-a-Lago, the president’s personal club, which he owned ago entering politics and always used though officer business. Trump and his family are regulars at the property, besides it is too a for-profit enterprise that depends above personal events and membership fees.
Probe Expanding
Investigators dine been looking into Zhang though divide of a broader FBI-led investigation into if Chinese operatives are targeting Mar-a-Lago though information above the administration’s policies regarding China, according ought a person familiar with the probe, who asked no ought be identified though the research is ongoing. The counterintelligence probe began ago Zhang’s capture besides has though expanded, the person said.
Trump has made the pursuit of a new business business with China a cornerstone of his economic and foreign policy.
The indictment didn’t carry an espionage charge, besides Garcia said additional charges can be filed. She now faces a maximum language of five years after bars. Separately, Zhang’s visa has been revoked, which fashion she used to be at the nation illegally ought she be released above bail.
In questioning a Secret Service representative last week, Zhang’s public defender, Robert Adler, had the representative allege that Zhang didn’t explicitly appeal ought be a member of Mar-a-Lago ought acquire access. A institute worker can dine erroneously inferred that she could be the daughter of another Zhang who was a member, but, though Adler noted, Zhang is one of the most normal surnames amid Chinese nationals.
Zhang too told a Secret Service representative that she was there ought accompany a "United Nations Friendship Event," according ought the complaint. besides Garcia told the gather that Zhang knew that accident was canceled ago she left China and acknowledged the cancellation at a WeChat message.
(Updates with bail denial at fourth paragraph.)
To confront the reporter above this story: Jonathan Levin at Miami at jlevin20@bloomberg.net
To confront the editors responsible though this story: Michael J. Moore at mmoore55@bloomberg.net, Joe Schneider, Peter Jeffrey
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