FBI charges ex-UN executive in alleged illegal weapons sale between Libya, China

A former top UN official has been arrested by the FBI and charged with attempting to negotiate arms deals between China and Libya worth $1.1 billion, it was reported on Monday.

Kuang Chi Wan, who was based in Montreal and was a deputy director at the International Civil Aviation Organisation, was originally captured on 21 January 2023, FBI documents obtained by Global News show. He has been charged with running afoul of the US Arms Export Control Act by benefiting from arms deals.

Also known as “James”, the 62-year-old is alleged to be one of seven people involved in the scheme. The others were not named, Global News reported.

Wan told the FBI that one of the conspirators was “a special advisor to Chinese President Xi Jinping,” according to the documents.

The FBI alleges that between 2019 and 2022, Wan contravened international arms and trade sanctions by concocting planned illegal arms and oil deals between China, Libya warlords and others, according to the documents.

The case is related to the earlier charges levelled against two others by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The pair are alleged to have conspired to ship Libyan crude oil to China in exchange for Chinese drones, the Toronto Star reported in April 2024.

Global News reported that Wan could not be reached for comment since authorities had seized his phone and laptop, so details about his status in US courts are unclear.

READ: Tony Blair lobbied Libya for arms deal, reveal newly-released documents