Chinese Intelligence Targeted US Olympic Figure Skater's Dissident Father Through Passport Impersonation

Matthew Ziburis, one of five men charged in March 2022, impersonated a US Olympic Committee official to solicit passport numbers from Arthur Liu, father of figure skater Alysa Liu, three months before the Beijing Olympics. Liu, a Chinese dissident and former political refugee, had been warned by the FBI in October 2021 of the targeting. The operation demonstrates how Chinese intelligence operations extend beyond traditional espionage to encompass families of high-profile American athletes competing internationally. Federal prosecutors delayed announcing charges until after the Olympics concluded, protecting Liu's competition while building their case.