An undergraduate student from an Ontario university is under suspicion of espionage following statements made to the FBI about accessing airport facilities in Toronto and Chicago to take photographs for an unidentified individual from China.
Weiheng Zeng, a Chinese national, was apprehended in Michigan on August 23 after crossing the Ambassador Bridge from Windsor, Ontario. He faces a charge of making false statements and appeared in a federal court in Detroit, where he agreed to be detained pending his trial.
The U.S. authorities became wary of Zeng in April after an incident at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport captured on security footage. The incident involved a man, later identified as Zeng, taking photos, climbing a forklift, and attempting to open locked delivery trucks and shipping containers at the airport’s FedEx parking lot.
Zeng admitted to climbing the forklift to obtain better photo angles, according to the criminal complaint. Investigators connected him to a dark blue Chrysler Town & Country minivan with Ontario license plates observed on CCTV near the airport.
Upon attempting to re-enter the U.S. in the same vehicle the following month, Zeng initially claimed he was on a one-day trip to Chicago but was subjected to multiple interviews by border officers. His explanations evolved, initially attributing the photos of military aircraft on his phone to a flight radar website and describing plane photography as a hobby. However, his phone also contained images of individuals in tactical gear holding firearm-like objects, which he claimed were airsoft guns.
Zeng later disclosed that he was being remunerated by an individual referred to as a “Chinese contact” to photograph specific planes and tail numbers. He believed this contact was associated with a Chinese security service and had met them on an aviation enthusiasts’ forum in China in 2024.
The investigation revealed a complex communication system where the “Chinese contact” paid Zeng in Chinese yuan via bank transfers and periodically sent him new SIM cards to use in his Huawei cell phone. Zeng was instructed to destroy the SIM cards, delete conversations, and erase photos after use.
Additionally, Zeng stated that he had been instructed by his contact in October 2025 to capture images inside a FedEx facility at Toronto Pearson International Airport but was only able to photograph the exterior. He received payment equivalent to $200 US for sending these photos.
During court proceedings, a federal prosecutor argued that Zeng posed a flight risk due to being a foreign resident and citizen with potential ties to espionage activities. Ultimately, Zeng consented to remain in custody at subsequent hearings.
The allegations against Zeng remain unproven in court, and details regarding his academic program and arrival in Canada are undisclosed. The University of Waterloo declined to comment on the ongoing legal matter, stating that they typically refrain from discussing criminal cases.
Waterloo police confirmed they were not involved in the investigation. The Chinese embassy in Ottawa expressed opposition to sensationalizing the “China spy threat” and baseless accusations against China.
For news tips related to this story, contact CBC News senior reporter Thomas Daigle via email at thomas.daigle@cbc.ca.