“Her dad was either a provincial or a federal minister of education. So he’s, like, straight up Communist Party.”
“I was supposed to, whatever, sort of report what I knew about her, but I always thought that was kind of unfair.”
“I defied my government for love,” confessed Daniel Choi, a U.S. State Department Foreign Service Officer, to a hidden camera, on a date with an undercover OMG Journalist. Choi admitted to knowingly violating diplomatic security protocols by failing to report a romantic relationship with the daughter of a senior Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official.
Choi confirmed he chose not to file a required disclosure after beginning a relationship with Joi Zao, a 27-year-old Chinese national who entered the United States on a work visa in late September. Under federal regulations, Foreign Service Officers are required to report close and continuing contact with foreign nationals from adversarial nations, including China. Choi acknowledged this requirement but stated he believed it was unfair. “I was supposed to, whatever, sort of report what I knew about her,” he said, adding, “But I always thought that was kind of unfair.”
Choi also disclosed that Zao’s father was a high-ranking official in the CCP. “Her dad was either a provincial or a federal minister of education,” he said. “So he’s, like, straight-up Communist Party.” When asked whether Zao could have been engaged in espionage, Choi confirmed: “She could have been a spy.”
Choi admitted he deliberately withheld the relationship from his superiors “out of respect” for Zao. Choi added that he would have considered reporting the relationship only if it became serious or led to marriage, acknowledging, “If I were dating somebody and we were going to get married… then maybe I would do the report.”
Security protocols within the State Department require the reporting of all foreign contacts from specified nations, regardless of the depth or duration of the relationship. Choi confirmed his awareness of the policy, noting, “If you’re at the embassy in China, in Beijing, you’re not allowed to date locals at all.”
OMG has reached out to Daniel Choi and the U.S. State Department regarding Choi’s statements.
The U.S. State Department has issued a statement to OMG following our investigation into CCP-linked influence and alleged misconduct by a U.S. official.
According to a Senior State Department Official, “The incident is under investigation. The Department has zero tolerance for individuals who jeopardize national security by putting their personal interests ahead of our great nation.”
