Ontario Man Arrested on Complaint Alleging He Exported Shipments of Firearms, Ammunition and Other Military Items to North Korea

LOS ANGELES - A San Bernardino County man was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint alleging that he exported to North Korea shipments of firearms, ammunition and other military items that were concealed inside shipping containers bound from Long Beach.

Shenghua Wen, 41, of Ontario, is charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

Wen - a Chinese national illegally residing in the United States - was arrested this morning and is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. His arraignment is expected to occur in the coming weeks.

"It is essential that we protect our country from hostile foreign states that have adverse interests to our nation," said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. "We have arrested a defendant who allegedly acted at the direction of the North Korean government by conspiring to illegally ship firearms, ammunition, and other military equipment to North Korea. I am grateful to our law enforcement partners for stopping this threat and their tireless commitment to the security of our nation."

"The significance of this arrest and discovery of this scheme cannot be overstated," said FBI Los Angeles Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis. "Not only did the investigative team prevent additional restricted items going to the North Korean regime, but they gathered valuable intelligence for the United States and our allies. I'm proud of the hard work that went into building the case against Wen by dedicated agents and our partners who specialize in cases that involve illegal exports to foreign adversaries who evade sanctions and utilize weapons and technology for nefarious purposes."

According to an affidavit filed on November 26 with the complaint, Wen obtained firearms, ammunition, and export-controlled technology with the intention of shipping them to North Korea - a violation of federal law and United States sanctions against that nation. Wen and his co-conspirators allegedly exported shipments of firearms and ammunition to North Korea by concealing the items inside shipping containers that were shipped from Long Beach through Hong Kong to North Korea.

On August 14, law enforcement seized at Wen's home two devices that he intended to send to North Korea for military use: a chemical threat identification device and a hand-held broadband receiver that detects eavesdropping devices. On September 6, law enforcement seized approximately 50,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that Wen allegedly obtained to send to North Korea.

A review of Wen's iPhone revealed to law enforcement that in December 2023, Wen smuggled items from Long Beach to Hong Kong with their destination being North Korea. Messages retrieved from Wen's cellphones revealed discussions he had earlier this year with co-conspirators about shipping military-grade equipment to North Korea. Some of these messages include photographs that Wen sent of items controlled for export under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. From January 2024 to April 2024, Wen sent emails and text messages to a U.S.-based broker about obtaining a civilian plane engine. There also were several text messages on Wen's iPhone concerning price negotiation for the plane and its engine.

Wen is a Chinese national who is illegally in the United States after overstaying his student visa and is therefore prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition. Wen lacks the required licenses from the U.S. government to export ammunition, firearms, and the other devices that law enforcement seized at his home to North Korea.

"The results of today's arrest and search warrants are a testament to HSI and our partner agencies commitment to national security and protecting our sensitive technology" said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson. "It is a federal crime to illegally obtain and export certain US technologies by foreign countries and those who seek to circumvent the law will be thoroughly investigated."

"Mr. Wen's arrest is a significant advancement in our collective efforts towards protecting our national security, safeguarding sensitive U.S. technologies and other export-controlled items, and ensuring accountability for the alleged bad actions," said Bryan D. Denny, Special Agent in Charge for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Western Field Office.

"The defendant's alleged attempts to illicitly export firearms and military technology from the United States at the behest of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea constitute an alarming violation of sanctions and export control laws," said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Dunlap of the Office of Export Enforcement, Los Angeles Field Office. "OEE is committed to working with our federal partners to identify and disrupt illegal export schemes that undermine regional stability and our national security interests at home and abroad."

A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

The FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; DCIS; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security are investigating this matter.

Assistant United States Attorney Sarah E. Gerdes of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section is prosecuting this case, with substantial assistance from Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the U.S. Department of Justice National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

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