Family tied to suspected Chinese spy gave $4.4M to Newsom, Calif. politicians

C.C. Yin’s family has donated nearly $3 million to state-level California political causes and an additional $1,455,027 to federal campaigns.

A California family gave over $4.4 million in political donations to Governor Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris and other leading California politicians. And now, that family's alleged past links to infamous suspected honeypot spy Fang Fang, also known as Christine Fang, and other Chinese government officials have thrust them into an ongoing debate over foreign influence in American politics.The Yin family made millions running McDonald's franchises in the Golden State — and became prolific donors to politicians, according to state and federal campaign records. Newly released FBI files about Fang describe the family patriarch Chei Chen Yin, commonly known by his initials "C.C.", as a one-time professional associate of Fang through an organization he founded.And national security experts tasked with protecting U.S.

institutions from infiltration by the Chinese government say they have documented alleged interactions between C.C. Yin's brother, Henry Yin, and the foreign influence wing of the Chinese government, the United Front.Interactions between wealthy business leaders with direct ties to China have come under heavier scrutiny in recent years, as a series of scandals have erupted over alleged Chinese influence agents gaining access to elected officials from small town mayors to members of Congress and the governor of New York. Those relationships have often been facilitated with political donations.Jacqueline Deal, a board member of State Armor, a company that helps