FBI sanctions listing
YANLAI ZHONG
YANLAI ZHONG is an individual designated on the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation — Wanted (FBI) sanctions list under the Counterintelligence programme, listed on 2024-08-28. Counterintelligence. This page summarises the public designation — known aliases, Chinese nationality, identifying particulars, the stated reason for listing and linked parties — alongside an independent, transparent risk indicator.
Reason for listing
Conspiracy Yanlai Zhong, aka, Sydney Chung, is wanted for his alleged involvement in a years-long conspiracy to unlawfully export and smuggle U.S.-origin electronic components from the United States to Iran. It is alleged that he unlawfully exported and smuggled U.S. export controlled items through China and Hong Kong ultimately for the benefit of entities affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL), which supervises Iran’s development and production of missiles, weapons, and military aerial equipment to include Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). On January 31, 2024, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Zhong in the United States District Court of the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C., after he was charged with Conspiracy. The Rewards For Justice Program, United States Department of State, is offering a reward of up to $15 million for information on individuals involved with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) financial networks to include information on Baoxia Liu and Yanlai Zhong.
Statement of reasons as published by US FBI. This is the issuing authority's wording, reproduced for reference.
Designation record
| List / authority | US FBI (FBI) — FBI — Counterintelligence |
|---|---|
| Entity type | Person |
| Programmes / regime | Counterintelligence |
| Date listed | 2024-08-28 |
| Source record ID | fbi:a390172303744304abff2c58143f51f8 |
| Last updated (our copy) | 2026-06-04 |
Identity & particulars
| Position / role | Counterintelligence |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | February 12, 1983 |
| Place of birth | Shandong, China |
| Nationality / country | Chinese |
| Gender | Male |
Known aliases (1)
Deep-research dossier
Not yet deep-researched
The instant review above is drawn from the public lists. A deep-research dossier goes much further — an analyst-grade OSINT report: associate & co-investment network screening, structural / ownership opacity, a dated risk trajectory, an 8-factor scoring model, and numbered, source-linked evidence. See the format in the design system.
Clarifications & right of reply
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Source & provenance
| Issuing authority | U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation — Wanted |
|---|---|
| Source identifier | fbi:a390172303744304abff2c58143f51f8 |
| Aggregated by | Sanctiometer (independent) — verify against the issuing authority's official list before acting. |