Chinese National Sentenced 8 Years for Smuggling Firearms, Technology to North Korea

Shenghua Wen, a Chinese national residing illegally in the United States, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for conspiring to export firearms, ammunition, and sensitive military technology to North Korea. Wen, who overstayed his student visa after entering the U.S. in 2012, was directed by North Korean officials whom he first met at their embassy in China to procure and smuggle these items via the Port of Long Beach, concealing shipments with false documentation. Between 2023 and 2024, Wen shipped multiple containers, including one falsely labeled as a refrigerator, and purchased a firearms business in Texas using funds wired by North Korean contacts to facilitate the operation. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government, facing a maximum sentence of 20 years but receiving 96 months. The case was investigated by federal agencies including the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, revealing the sophisticated nature of Wen's smuggling activities and the risks posed by such illicit arms transfers. Wen was reportedly paid about $2 million for his efforts to support North Korea’s military capabilities.