Zoom exec accused of engaging in conspiracy

Federal prosecutors have brought criminal charges against an executive at Zoom, the videoconferencing company, accusing him of engaging in a conspiracy to disrupt and censor video meetings commemorating one of the most politically sensitive events in China.

Prosecutors said the executive, Xinjiang Jin, who is based in China, fabricated reasons to suspend accounts of people in NewYork who were hosting memorials on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre and coordinated with Chinese officials to identify potentially problematic meetings.

He is accused of working with others to log into the video meetings under aliases using profile pictures that related to terrorism or child pornography. Afterward, Jin would report the meetings for violating terms of service, prosecutors said.

At least four meetings commemorating the massacre this year — largely attended by U.S.-based users — were terminated as a result of Jin’s actions, according to prosecutors.

Jin, who is also known as Julien Jin, acted as the liaison between Zoom and Chinese government authorities, prosecutors said. He is identified in the criminal complaint only as an employee of a U.S. telecommunications company. Zoom confirmed Dec. 18 that it was the company.

Jin has not been arrested and is believed to be at large in China, which does not have an extradition treaty with the United States.

A spokesperson for Zoom said Jin violated its policies by attempting to circumvent internal controls. Jin has been fired, and other Zoom employees have been placed on administrative leave pending the completion of an internal investigation.

In a statement, the company said it has since provided end-to-end encryption for all users and restricted access for Chinabased employees to Zoom’s global network.

The company has its headquarters in San Jose, California, and has hundreds of employees in China.