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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 16 april 2019

Chinese woman who entered

Mar-a-Lago denied bail

By TERRY SPENCER Zhang was up to some- nese national who pro-
Associated Press thing nefarious ... when she motes such events at Mar-
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) gained access to Mar-a- a-Lago, and a flyer she had
— A federal judge denied Lago.” promoting it. She request-
bail Monday for a Chinese Because of that, Matthew- ed Zhang be released on
woman charged with lying man said he feared that $250,000 bail secured by
to illegally enter President if he allowed Zhang to be her father and said she
Donald Trump’s Mar-a-La- released, she would flee would wear a monitoring
go club, saying her actions back to China. The U.S. device to ensure she didn’t
and statements suggest and China do not have an leave the area.
“she was up to something extradition treaty. Zhang “It is a sad fact of this case In this court sketch, Yujing Zhang, left, a Chinese woman
nefarious” and there is an is not charged with es- that if a Mandarin interpret- charged with lying to illegally enter President Donald Trump’s
“extreme risk of flight” if she pionage, but prosecutor er was provided at that first Mar-a-Lago club, listens to a hearing Monday, April 15, 2019,
were released. Rolando Garcia said the contact with the Secret Ser- before Magistrate Judge William Matthewman in West Palm
Federal Magistrate Judge investigation remains ac- vice, we very well may not Beach, Fla.
William Matthewman is- tive. Even if Matthewman be here,” Militello told Mat- Associated Press
sued the ruling for 33-year- had decided to grant bail, thewman. She said Zhang Chinese Friendship Asso- after it was learned she was
old Yujing Zhang, who immigration officials would cooperated with agents, ciation and was photo- promising Chinese business
pleaded not guilty Monday most likely have detained followed their directions, al- graphed at least twice with leaders that her consulting
to charges of lying to fed- Zhang because her U.S. lowed her belongings to be Cindy Yang, a Republican firm could get them ac-
eral agents and illegal en- visa has been revoked. searched and sat through donor and former Florida cess to Mar-a-Lago, where
tering of a restricted area. Zhang showed no reac- nine hours of questioning. massage parlor owner. they could mingle with the
Zhang faces up to five tion throughout the hear- Lee ran the United Nations Yang recently made news president.q
years if convicted. Prose- ing except for once say-
cutors did back away from ing she didn’t understand
their previous contention when Garcia said she was
that Zhang was carrying at times “within an arm’s
a computer thumb drive length” of Mar-a-Lago
containing malware, say- computers.
ing further tests have put One of Zhang’s public de-
that in doubt. fenders, Kristy Militello, told
Matthewman said he was Matthewman she believes
particularly concerned that Zhang, who works as
that when Secret Service a business consultant, was
agents questioned Zhang confused by the agents’
on March 30 at Mar-a-La- questions and they misun-
go shortly after she gained derstood her when they say
admission, the defendant she said she was a mem-
said she was carrying four ber. Zhang speaks English,
cellphones, a laptop and but her level of expertise is
an external hard drive be- disputed by the prosecu-
cause she feared they tion and defense. During
would be stolen if she left court hearings, she listened
them in her hotel room. But to a Mandarin translator
during a search of her room but also spoke directly to
later, agents found more her attorneys occasionally.
electronics gear — includ- Militello said Zhang had
ing a device to detect hid- come to Mar-a-Lago be-
den cameras — $8,000 in lieving there would be a
cash and numerous credit dinner that evening for a
and debit cards, all of it un- United Nations group, part
secured. of a $20,000 travel package
“It does seem to the court she had purchased from a
that her alleged innocent man named “Charles” she
explanation is refuted by only knew through social
what she left behind,” Mat- media. Militello pointed to
thewman said. “It does ap- a receipt Zhang received
pear to the court that Ms. from Charles Lee, a Chi-