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A Chinese national residing illegally in the U.S. has admitted to smuggling firearms, ammunition, and other military equipment to North Korea. Shengua Wen, 42, pleaded guilty to federal charges after it was revealed he’d been working under the direction of North Korean officials, receiving roughly $2 million for his illicit activities.
Operating out of Ontario, California, Wen used a complex scheme to conceal the contraband inside shipping containers leaving from the Port of Long Beach. His operation involved purchasing a firearms business in Houston, Texas, which served as a front to acquire weapons and falsify export documents.
Court documents detail at least three shipments of weapons Wen sent to China, ultimately destined for North Korea, in 2023. The following year, he attempted to procure approximately 60,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition along with sensitive technology, including a chemical threat detector and a sophisticated signal receiver.
Wen’s illegal activities stemmed from meetings with North Korean officials at their embassy in China, where he received instructions to procure the weapons and technology. He initially entered the U.S. on a student visa in 2012 but remained in the country after it expired in 2013.
Facing charges of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government, Wen could receive a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. He has been in custody since his arrest in December.