Following suspicions he snapped pictures at airports located in Chicago and Toronto for an individual he thought worked for the Chinese government, an undergraduate attending an Ontario university was taken into custody in America within the framework of a federal counter-intelligence probe.
Weiheng Zeng, a Chinese citizen studying at the University of Waterloo, faces charges of making false statements following a series of border interrogations, according to court documents filed in Michigan. The investigation came to light when U.S. authorities flagged suspicious activity at Chicago’s O’Hare airport, linking Zeng to a dark blue minivan with Ontario licence plates.
According to an FBI affidavit filed in the case, the security probe began on April 21, roughly 10 days after Zeng crossed into the United States via the Ambassador Bridge. Investigators stated that a man was observed taking photos, climbing a forklift and trying to open locked trailers at a FedEx facility on airport grounds.
Months later, on Aug. 23, border guards intercepted Zeng as he attempted a subsequent entry into the U.S. in the same minivan. Initially, border officers detained the student for questioning, and federal investigators with the FBI conducted further interviews with him soon afterward.
### Conflicting Statements and Border Interrogations
During initial questioning by border agents, Zeng offered shifting explanations for his travels. He initially claimed he was going to visit his sister and provided minimal details regarding his stop in Chicago, asserting only that he had taken photos of planes.
However, forensic reviews of his mobile device revealed a collection of aviation imagery, including aircraft and military planes, alongside photographs depicting Zeng and others in tactical clothes holding rifle-style firearms. When questioned about the tactical gear, Zeng maintained the firearms were airsoft guns, which shoot pellets rather than bullets, and denied possessing any kind of military training.
As questioning progressed through multiple interviews, Zeng’s narrative shifted regarding his presence at O’Hare. He acknowledged he went to a FedEx facility and climbed a forklift to take pictures, and admitted to an earlier incident at Toronto’s Pearson airport, where he had trespassed at a FedEx facility but had been caught.
### Online Recruitment and Digital Communications
In subsequent interviews with federal investigators, Zeng detailed how he was contacted online. He stated that a Chinese contact reached out to him through a website for aviation spotters.
According to the FBI affidavit, the individual assigned Zeng specific planes to photograph, providing the planes’ tail numbers and paying him between $20 and $30 per photo. Zeng told authorities that the Chinese contact mailed him SIM cards to use for their communications. To maintain operational security, Zeng admitted he would later destroy the SIM cards, delete the conversations, and delete the photos.
Zeng admitted to investigators that he suspected his contact was connected to the Chinese Communist Party. He told authorities he targeted specific aircraft due to their rarity or unique livery, such as a specific American United plane featuring a temporary paint job and an MD11 freighter at the O’Hare FedEx facility that was rare due to its age.
Chris Mathers, a former RCMP officer who runs a private crime and risk consulting firm, noted that it’s common practice for Chinese state security to try to recruit people online.
The case remains active within the U.S. federal court system in Michigan, where legal proceedings are ongoing.
