BEIJING: The Chinese government’s hiring of hackers has “gotten out of control” and provides cyber criminals with “a form of plausible deniability,” a senior FBI official said on Friday, warning that Chinese hackers can be arrested when they travel outside their home country.
FBI Assistant Director Brett Leatherman’s comments come days after the extradition of Chinese national Xu Zewei, 34, to the US from Italy on allegations he participated in widespread hacking campaigns in 2020 and 2021 at the direction of the Chinese government while working for a Chinese contractor.
Xu was arrested in Milan in July 2025 and was sent to the US after an Italian court ruling allowed the extradition.
Protection that Chinese hackers receive inside China “does not extend the moment you cross a border,” Leatherman said.
Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington, said that the US government “fabricated this politically motivated case, which violates the personal freedom and lawful rights and interests of the Chinese national.”
The charges against Xu are “unwarranted and aimed at vilifying China,” the spokesperson said.
