Chinese woman with cyber malware held at Trump’s retreat

A CHINESE woman carrying computer malware was arrested on Tuesday night after lying her way into Donald Trump’s Mar-a-lago retreat.

Yujing Zhang, 32, had two Chinese passports, four mobile phones, a laptop, external hard drive and a thumb drive containing the computer malware, according to documents.

Mr Trump was holidaying at the Florida resort at the time but had gone to play golf.

The woman was charged with making false statements to federal agents and illegally entering a restricted area.

She remains in custody and will appear in court next week.

According to the court documents, she approached a Secret Service agent at a checkpoint outside the club in Florida on Saturday afternoon, saying she was a member who wanted to use the swimming pool.

A club manager then mistook her for the daughter of a member. She went on to tell a front desk receptionist that she was there to attend a forthcoming UN Chinese American Association event, and wanted to familiarise herself with the club in advance.

The woman then showed an invitation written in Chinese for the nonexistent event.

According to the court documents, she was escorted off the grounds but became argumentative, so she was taken to a Secret Service office for questioning.

She then told agents she had come from Shanghai on the invitation of an acquaintance named “Charles” whom she only knew through a Chinese social media app.

There was no indication that the woman was ever near Mr Trump.

It was also not believed she was connected to Li Yang, a Chinese massage parlour owner who was recently accused of promising Chinese business leaders access to Mar-a-lago.