A network of suspicious companies linked to a Chinese tech firm has been actively targeting recently laid-off U.S. government workers through job recruitment campaigns, according to research released today by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).

Max Lesser, a senior analyst at FDD, identified four consulting and recruitment companies sharing digital infrastructure with Smiao Intelligence, a Chinese internet services company. The companies posted job advertisements specifically targeting former federal employees who lost positions during recent government workforce reductions [1].

Key findings from the investigation include:

The companies share overlapping websites and servers, with fake or non-existent physical addresses in Singapore and Colorado [1]RiverMerge Strategies, one of the identified companies, posted jobs seeking 'Geopolitical Consulting Advisors' with government experience, receiving over 200 applications before the listings were removed [2]A Chinese phone number linked to RiverMerge matches that of Shenzhen Si Xun Software Co., Ltd [1]

The FBI warns this follows established patterns of Chinese intelligence operations. 'Chinese intelligence officers can represent themselves as think tanks, academic institutions and recruiting firms to target current, former, and prospective U.S. government employees,' an FBI spokesperson stated [1].

The Chinese Embassy in Washington denies involvement, stating Beijing was 'unaware of any entities allegedly involved in the campaign' [3]. However, intelligence analysts suggest this could be part of broader efforts to exploit laid-off government workers, particularly those affected by recent efficiency measures implemented under the Department of Government Efficiency [2].

The investigation draws parallels to a 2020 case where Singaporean national Jun Wei Yeo pleaded guilty to acting as a Chinese government agent, using similar recruitment tactics to gather sensitive information [1].