Cindy Yang
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Cindy Yang

Cindy Yang
Cindy Yang
Cindy Yang, also known as Li Yang, is a Chinese-American businesswoman and Republican Party fundraiser who started a chain of massage parlours in Florida. She hit the headlines in 2019 after New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was charged with paying for sex at a parlour Yang formerly owned. She was subsequently accused of selling Chinese clients access to US President Donald Trump and other Republican politicians. Her lawyer has denied the claim, and the White House has said Trump does not know Yang, but Democratic members of the House and Senate have pushed for an FBI investigation into possible links between the two.
Born
4 Dec 1990
Industry
Entertainment, Film
Job Title
Actor
Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Photo: AP
United States

Trump’s Mar-a-Lago-trespasser deported to China two years after jail term

Zhang Yujing was turned over to immigration officials in December 2019 after serving an eight-month sentence for trespassing at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club.

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NFL (National Football League)

Patriots owner Robert Kraft cleared of ‘Orchids of Asia’ sex charge

Chinese overseas

Mar-a-Lago intruder Zhang Yujing ‘playing games with the court’, judge says

Donald Trump

FBI opens foreign money probe into Trump donor Cindy Yang

Investigators obtained a subpoena seeking records from Bing Bing Peranio, an employee of Yang’s family’s spa business who contributed US$5,400.

Li ‘Cindy’ Yang with US President Donald Trump in a photo signed by Trump that Yang posted on her Facebook page. Photo: Facebook/Li Yang
Crime

Lawyer for Patriots owner Robert Kraft calls prostitution sting video ‘unlawful’

Defence attorney Jack Goldberger tells judge in high-profile trial that the ‘whole warrant is unlawful’, a claim prosecutors strongly deny.

Alleged China influence on US

Asian-American conservatives feeling the sting of Cindy Yang affair

Allegations by left-leaning US lawmakers have undone an effort to encourage political engagement within the community, National Committee of Asian American Republicans founder Cliff Zhonggang Li says.

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POLITICO

Politico | What was the Chinese woman arrested at Mar-a-Lago up to? An ex-spy’s take

Is Zhang Yujing a bumbling Chinese spook or an innocent tourist who loves her hi-tech devices?

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A courtroom sketch of Zhang Yujing during an April 8 hearing. Image: Reuters/Daniel Pontet
Donald Trump

Chinese woman charged in security breach at Mar-a-Lago is denied bail

Zhang Yujing, 33, faces counts of lying to Secret Service agents and gaining access to a restricted area.

Alleged China influence on US

Chinese woman detained at Mar-a-Lago indicted on lying charge

Nothing in the indictment refers to espionage, but a prosecutor told the judge the US continued to look into that possibility.

Donald Trump

Businessman accused of US influence peddling has chequered, mysterious past

Lee, who has used multiple identities and faced accusations of business fraud, advertised an event that Zhang Yujing said she was at Trump’s resort to attend.

Charles Lee’s business card lists him as CEO of numerous companies using the “United Nations” name. It also includes a photo of Lee with former UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon. Photo: Handout
Donald Trump

Mar-a-Lago intruder Zhang Yujing ‘had device for detecting hidden cameras’

US magistrate judge rules Zhang will be held without bond until at least next week after prosecutor argues she is a flight risk.

Chinese Mar-a-Lago intruder Zhang Yujing had device for detecting hidden cameras, US prosecutors say at bail hearing
Chinese overseas

Chinese woman arrested at Mar-a-Lago ‘owns US$1.3 million home, BMW’

The FBI is investigating whether Zhang Yujing was working as a Chinese intelligence operative, sources say. In court, she said she works for Shanghai Zhirong Asset Management, a private-equity business.

Donald Trump

Nothing to see here: Trump calls Mar-a-Lago security breach a ‘fluke’

After Chinese national Zhang Yujing was arrested for entering a restricted area, Democrats called on the FBI to investigate how much of a national security risk Mar-a-Lago poses.

Donald Trump

Chinese firm offering to sell Trump access in focus after Mar-a-Lago arrest

The United Nations Chinese Friendship Association, founded by Charles Lee, told clients it could arrange meetings and photo opportunities with politicians.

A photo from the defunct website for Charles Lee’s United Nations Chinese Friendship Association showing what it said was Lee with US President Donald Trump.
Donald Trump

Was Chinese woman arrested at Trump resort heading to Cindy Yang event?

Prosecutors say Zhang Yujing told the Secret Service she was at Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to use the pool and attend a ‘United Nations Friendship Event’.

Chinese woman Zhang Yujing charged with illegally entering Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort had malware, four phones and two passports. Was she there for a Cindy Yang event?
United States

Patriots owner Robert Kraft breaks silence over prostitution bust

Billionaire has been charged with two misdemeanour counts of soliciting another to commit prostitution.

Donald Trump

Chinese ex-spa owner linked to Trump speaks out to decry ‘unfair’ treatment

In a number of TV appearances on Wednesday, Yang denied that she had any private conversations with the US president.

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United States

Robert Kraft wants prostitution video blocked from public

Lawyers for Kraft and 14 of the other 24 men charged said that releasing the video would violate the state’s public records law.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft listens in the Super Bowl LIII media centre on January 29 as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks. A plea deal has been offered to Patriots owner Robert Kraft in day spa probe. Photo: TNS
Donald Trump

Democrats seek probe of Cindy Yang, ex-spa owner pictured with Trump

They say Cindy Yang's access to the president and other officials could be exploited by foreign governments seeking to blackmail US figures.

US Politics

Cindy Yang ‘opposed foreign money crackdown’ at Trump fundraisers

Cindy Yang quit a position with the Asian GOP when it banned foreigners from fundraisers, after a ‘messy’ event whose guests included Chinese executives. Yang is a spa entrepreneur who once owned the Orchids of Asia massage parlour, where New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft allegedly received sex services.

China’s Communist Party

Opinion | Why I’m not monetising my connection to Trump’s family

Based on my own experience, I know there is a strong demand for a Trump connection from Chinese businessmen and individuals. What they are after is not influence over US politics, but a chance to impress people back home.

US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and their son, Barron, arrive for a New Year’s Eve party at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, on December 31, 2017. Photo: Reuters
China’s Communist Party

Republican group dismisses Cindy Yang, alleged brothel spa founder

The National Committee of Asian American Republicans says it dismissed Yang after reports she was connected to a chain of spas that allegedly provide sexual services.

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Cindy Yang with US President Donald Trump in a photo signed by Trump posted on Yang’s Facebook page. Photo: Facebook
United States

Who is spa founder Cindy Yang – and how is she connected to Trump?

A day spa that led to prostitution charges against New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. A consulting firm offering access to Donald Trump. One person helped found both: Cindy Yang.

Human trafficking

China-born founder of ‘sex trafficking spa’ was at Trump’s Super Bowl party

Cindy Li Yang, a big donor to Donald Trump, founded a chain of massage parlours that included the Orchids of Asia spa where New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft allegedly received sex services.

NFL (National Football League)

Opinion | Robert Kraft and the complexities of prostitution

The New England Patriots owner was arrested and charged in a prostitution sting in the US. While many have condemned his actions and prostitution’s ties to sex trafficking, some are calling for a rethink of the larger issue at hand.

A former sex worker and trafficking survivor shows her tattoos on her forearms that read “harm reduction”. Leaving the industry in the hands of criminals and the black market only perpetuates violence against women and the degradation of sex workers. Photo: AP
Crime

In Florida sex spas, ‘Chinese human traffickers’ operated in plain sight

The Asian-themed spas, including the one where New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was arrested, are staffed with young women from China. Authorities say many women in the spas were brought from China under false pretences and forced to service many men a day.

These undated booking photos from the Martin County Sheriff's Office, show (from left) Lixia Zhu and Ruimei Li, who have been arrested on charges tied to the operation of massage parlours in Florida. Photo: AFP
NFL (National Football League)

Patriots owner visited spa for sex acts before AFC title game

Details regarding billionaire NFL mogul Robert Kraft’s visits to massage parlour, where police say some workers born in China were forced to live, released in court documents

Human trafficking

Patriots owner Kraft charged with soliciting sex at Orchids of Asia parlour

Robert Kraft, whose New England Patriots are the Super Bowl champions, was twice videotaped receiving sex acts at a Florida massage parlour, police say. The billionaire, 77, denies wrongdoing after he was caught up in a massive police sting against sex trafficking.

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