Officials say two Nassau County residents have been arrested and are accused of acting as illegal agents from China who participated in an international scheme to coerce a United States resident to return to China.

An eight-count indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging a total of seven nationals of the People’s Republic of China, including Quanzhong An, 55, of Roslyn, and Guangyang An, 34, of Roslyn.

The two are charged with participating in a scheme to cause the forced return of a People’s Republic of China national residing in the United States.

Officials say the lead defendant, Quanzhong An, allegedly acted at the direction and under the control of various officials with the People’s Republic of China to conduct surveillance of and engage in a campaign to harass and coerce a U.S. resident to return to the People’s Republic of China as part of an international extralegal return effort known as “Operation Fox Hunt.”

“As alleged, the defendants engaged in a unilateral and uncoordinated law enforcement action on U.S. soil on behalf of the government of the People’s Republic of China, in an effort to cause the forced repatriation of a U.S. resident to China,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. “The United States will firmly counter such outrageous violations of national sovereignty and prosecute individuals who act as illegal agents of foreign states.”

Mr. Peace thanked the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations for its work on the case.

“The victims in this case sought to flee an authoritarian government, leaving behind their lives and family, for a better life here. That same government sent agents to the United States to harass, threaten, and forcibly return them to the People's Republic of China. The actions we allege are illegal, and the FBI will not allow adversaries to break laws designed to protect our nation and our freedom,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael Driscoll.

Officials say Quanzhong An, who is a businessman operating in Queens and the majority shareholder of a hotel in Flushing, acted as the primary U.S.-based liaison.