Bayside Cop Accused Of Spying For China Still Behind Bars For Now

BAYSIDE, QUEENS — A Bayside police officer accused of spying on Tibetans as an agent of the People's Republic of China was ordered to be released Friday on $1 million bond and put on house arrest, but he'll remain behind bars for now, after federal prosecutors intervened.

Baimadajie Angwang, who worked for the community affairs unit of the NYPD's 111th Precinct in Northeast Queens, got approval from Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom to be released from Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Complex and instead stay confined in his home with electronic monitoring, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York said.

Federal prosecutors, who had argued Angwang poses a "serious risk of flight" and referenced high-dollar wire transfers in his name, appealed the decision to release him.

A judge halted the order Friday to release Angwang, while he considers the appeal.

Angwang was arrested Sept. 21 by the FBI on a slew of federal charges, including acting as an illegal agent for China and wire fraud, court records show.

According to a federal complaint, Angwang told unnamed Chinese officials about the activities of ethnic Tibetans in New York City, sent them names of Tibetan individuals who could be recruited as potential intelligence sources, offered to connect consulate officials with members of the NYPD and provided information on internal police operations.

He is also accused of providing the Chinese officials with information about members of Chinese ethnic minorities who worked for elected officials in New York State and were suspected of harboring negative views of the People's Republic of China.