Shenghua Wen of California was sentenced for smuggling firearms and sensitive technology to North Korea, receiving around $2 million from officials of the isolated regime, shedding light on North Korea's efforts to bypass international sanctions.
California Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Smuggling Arms to North Korea
California Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Smuggling Arms to North Korea
A Chinese national received an eight-year prison sentence for illegally sending military equipment to North Korea, violating UN sanctions.
A 42-year-old Chinese national has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for illegally exporting firearms and military technology to North Korea, a violation of United Nations sanctions. Shenghua Wen, who resided in Ontario, California, was caught smuggling military goods while receiving approximately $2 million from North Korean officials for his operations.
Detained since December 2024, Wen admitted to his illegal activities and pleaded guilty in June to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The U.S. Justice Department described Wen as an "illegal alien," stating he entered the U.S. on a student visa in 2012 but overstayed his visa when it expired in December 2013.
Wen's connections to the North Korean government began even before he entered the U.S.; he had previously met officials from the North Korean embassy in China. The illicit communications resumed in 2022 when Wen was approached by North Korean officials via online messaging who directed him to procure military goods on behalf of the regime.
From California, Wen shipped at least three containers of arms, including a significant volume of 9mm ammunition, falsely reporting the contents of containers to evade law enforcement. In one instance, he claimed that a shipment contained a refrigerator, while it was actually an illegal cargo of firearms destined for North Korea, arriving in Hong Kong and ultimately redirected to Nampo, North Korea.
Wen's activities extended to the acquisition of a firearms business in Houston, with funds provided by a North Korean contact. He also planned to send sensitive technology to North Korea, including a chemical threat identification device and a handheld broadband receiver.
The U.S. Justice Department reiterated that Wen was aware of the illegality of shipping such items to North Korea, which is prohibited under UN Security Council sanctions. North Korea has historically found methods to sidestep restrictions on arms trading, even as the U.S. and other nations impose severe penalties for violations.
