FBI agents arrested Wanying Zhang at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday before she was due to leave for China, the agency said. US authorities accuse the 34-year-old Irvine resident of monitoring a son of Taiwan’s president on behalf of Chinese officials.

Zhang, also known as Heather, faces a charge of acting as an unregistered foreign agent. The Justice Department alleges she traveled to Seattle in 2025 at Chinese officials’ direction and sent them photos, video and license plate information concerning the president’s son and his family.

Taiwan’s presidential office condemned the alleged conduct and thanked the United States for protecting Taiwanese citizens. Zhang was expected in federal court in Los Angeles on Monday, according to Bill Essayli, a federal prosecutor. It was not immediately clear whether she had a defense attorney.