‘SUSHI JOHN’ DETAINED: NJ RESTAURATEUR LINKED TO CHINESE SPY ACTIVITIES

A New Jersey restaurant owner, known locally as “Sushi John,” is in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody following his prior conviction for acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government.

Ming Xi Zhang, 61, proprietor of Ya Ya Noodles in Montgomery Township, was arrested by ICE agents in Newark on March 24, 2025. Although Zhang legally entered the U.S. in 2000, authorities allege he later violated the terms of his admission. He is currently detained at the Elizabeth Detention Center awaiting immigration proceedings.

In April 2024, Zhang was sentenced to three years’ probation after pleading guilty to operating as an unregistered foreign agent. Court documents reveal that in 2016, he met with Chinese security officials in the Bahamas and delivered $35,000 to an unnamed individual in New Jersey. He also admitted to hosting a Chinese government agent at his Princeton home that fall. 

Despite his legal troubles, Zhang has garnered support from his local community. A worker at his restaurant noted that patrons have been offering assistance and expressing solidarity with his family. 

ICE’s actions align with a broader enforcement initiative under President Donald Trump’s administration, focusing on the deportation of individuals involved in espionage and other national security concerns.

Zhang’s attorney, Robert Hazzard, has not publicly commented on the case.