Former Federal Official Charged for Allegedly Working as Unregistered Foreign Agent

(USNewsBreak.com) – When a person tries to do business in the United States on behalf of another government, they are required to register with the Department of Justice as a foreign agent within 10 days of agreeing to act as a principal. Failure to do so can lead to criminal charges, a hefty fine, and potential jail time. One former federal agent is now facing those penalties.

On Wednesday, July 17, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced an indictment against Sue Mi Terry, a former White House employee and CIA agent, for alleged violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

A former CIA employee and senior official at the White House National Security Council is charged with serving as a secret agent for South Korea's intelligence service, the US Justice Department says. https://t.co/ikslfGu5mT

— ABC News (@abcnews) July 18, 2024

The indictment claims Terry “sold out her positions and influence to the South Korean government in return for” expensive goods such as luxury purses, meals, and nearly $40,000 in “funding for her public policy program.” Evidentiary pictures included with the indictment show Terry in Louis Vuitton stores carrying around expensive handbags while officers purchase them for her.

She’s accused of using her office to influence US policy in South Korea’s favor, despite repeated warnings not to do so while she was in office. After leaving the government, she reportedly served as a source of information for ROK National Intelligence, including relaying information to an ROK intelligence agent after a meeting with the US Secretary of State in 2022. The South Korean government also paid her to publish articles in the US and South Korean media wherein she conveyed ROK expressions and positions.

Terry has been charged with one count each of conspiracy to violate FARA and failure to register under FARA. Both charges carry a penalty of a maximum of five years in prison each, which means Terry faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. While she serves as a Council on Foreign Relations fellow, her biography has since been removed from the site.