Woman carrying USB stick with malware arrested after illegally entering Trump resort

Yujing Zhang told a US secret service agent that she was there to use the pool

A woman carrying two Chinese passports, multiple mobile phones, and a computer device with malware was arrested on Saturday after illegally entering the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, owned by US president Donald Trump.

According to a criminal complaint filed in the US District Court, the woman, Yujing Zhang, 32, told a secret service agent that she was a member of the club and had gone there to use the pool. She showed her passport as identification.

While the agent was trying to figure out if she was really a member of the club, a manager allowed her entry in the club, thinking she was the daughter of another member of the club with the same surname.

After gaining entry to the exclusive club, Zhang changed her story. She told a front-desk receptionist that she had come to attend a "United Nations Chinese American Association" event that, she said, was scheduled that day.

Zhang carried with her one laptop, four mobile phones, one thumb drive and an external hard disk

That, however, aroused a receptionist's suspicions as no such event was scheduled. The receptionist then informed federal agents about ambiguous statements from the woman.

When Zhang was asked about the purpose of her visit, she reiterated that she was there to attend the fictitious event. She said she had come early to take some photographs of the club. She also showed an invitation in Chinese that federal agents could not read.

Zhang was then taken to a nearby office run by US security services for further questioning. There, agents came to know that Zhang was able to speak and read English well.

According to agent Samuel Ivanovich's statement in the court documents, Zhang then said that she had travelled from Shanghai, China on the invitation of a friend named "Charles", whom she knew through a social media app.

Although Zhang had initially told a federal agent that she wanted to go to the pool, no swimming gear was found in her possession

According to the Miami Herald, Charles Lee is a businessman who runs an organisation, called the United Nations Chinese Friendship Association, who has been linked with Cindy Yang, a former massage parlour owner behind an alleged cash-for-access scandal.

Zhang carried with her one laptop, four mobile phones, one thumb drive and an external hard disk.

She has been charged with illegally entering a restricted property and making false statements to a federal officer.

An initial forensic examination of her devices revealed that the thumb drive contained 'malicious malware', according to the court documents. Although Zhang had initially told a federal agent that she wanted to go to the pool, no swimming gear was found in her possession.

At the time of incident, President Trump was golfing at a club in West Palm Beach, although some other members of the family were present at Mar-a-Lago.

Zhang will remain in custody until next hearing set for 8th April. If convicted, she could face imprisonment of maximum five years.

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