US Probes China-Linked Malware Email Masquerading as GOP Lawmaker

US authorities are investigating a fake email sent in July that appeared to come from Republican Representative John Moolenaar and carried malware allegedly tied to Chinese intelligence, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.

The email, which targeted US trade groups, law firms and government agencies, was traced by cyber analysts to APT41, a hacker group believed to work for Beijing. It urged recipients to review draft legislation, but opening the file would have given hackers deep access to systems, the report said.

Moolenaar, a vocal China critic and chair of a congressional panel on US-China strategic competition, denounced the attack as “another example of Chinese cyber operations aimed at stealing US strategy.”

The malware campaign reportedly coincided with US-China trade talks in Sweden that extended a tariff truce ahead of a potential Trump-Xi meeting later this year.

The FBI confirmed it was investigating with partner agencies, while the US Capitol Police declined comment. The Chinese embassy in Washington said it was unfamiliar with the details but rejected “smearing others without solid evidence,” insisting Beijing opposes all cyberattacks.

The operation was the latest suspected Beijing-linked attempt to glean insights into White House trade policy, the Journal said. It was unclear if the attack succeeded.