A former aide to two New York governors is set to stand trial Wednesday on charges she sold her political access to Chinese officials and profited illegally from the state’s purchase of pandemic face masks.

Federal prosecutors allege that Linda Sun, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in China, secretly acted on behalf of the Chinese government while serving in high-level positions under Democratic Govs. Kathy Hochul and Andrew Cuomo. Her husband, Chris Hu, is accused of laundering money tied to the couple’s alleged schemes.

Sun and Hu were first arrested last year as part of a U.S. crackdown on covert Chinese influence operations. They were re-indicted in June amid broader federal efforts to uncover COVID-19-era financial fraud. Both have pleaded not guilty to all charges, including violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act, money laundering, conspiracy, bribery, and fraud.

“Ms. Sun maintains that she did not commit any of the offenses with which she is charged and expects that a jury would reject the government’s most recent accusations at trial,” her attorney, Jarrod L. Schaeffer, wrote in a court filing that sought to dismiss the case. Schaeffer argued prosecutors targeted Sun not for espionage but because “she and her family had too much money,” calling the case “filled with glaring inconsistencies.”

Opening statements are scheduled for Wednesday morning in Brooklyn federal court before Judge Brian Cogan, who expects the trial to last several weeks.

According to the indictment, Sun allegedly helped Chinese officials gain influence in New York politics, including blocking Taiwanese representatives from meeting with state leaders and shaping government messaging favorable to Beijing. In return, prosecutors said, Hu benefited from business opportunities in China that helped finance the couple’s luxury lifestyle — including a multimillion-dollar Long Island estate, a $1.9 million Hawaii condominium, and a 2024 Ferrari.

Sun also allegedly accepted smaller gifts from Chinese officials, such as concert tickets and “Nanjing-style salted ducks” delivered to her parents’ home by a Chinese government chef.

Federal prosecutors further accuse Sun and Hu of profiting from New York’s urgent efforts to secure personal protective equipment at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sun, then on a state procurement team, used her government connections in China to source PPE suppliers. Prosecutors say she forged documents to steer contracts to companies tied to her family and her husband’s associates, including one run by her second cousin. Those firms were awarded more than $44 million in contracts, with $2.3 million allegedly funneled back to Hu.

Cuomo, who was questioned about Sun during congressional testimony in 2024, said, “She was a junior member in my team. I wouldn’t recognize her if she was in this room today.”

Hochul’s office said Sun was fired in March 2023 after evidence of misconduct surfaced. “We terminated her employment after discovering evidence of misconduct, immediately reported her actions to law enforcement and have assisted throughout this process,” the administration said.