CNN
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An Australian man has been refused bail after being charged with a overseas interference offense for accepting money from suspected Chinese language intelligence brokers, with a Sydney courtroom saying his shut ties to China made him a flight danger.
Justice of the Peace Michael Barko stated Alexander Csergo was a “refined, worldly businessperson” who had been on the radar of Australian intelligence for a while earlier than his arrest on Friday.
The prosecution had a robust case in opposition to Csergo, who had lived in China for many years, Barko stated in refusing bail.
Csergo is alleged to have arrived again in Australia this yr with a “procuring checklist” of intelligence priorities he had been requested for by two folks he had suspected since 2021 to be brokers for China’s Ministry of State Safety, the courtroom heard.
The pair, named in courtroom solely as “Ken” and “Evelyn,” first made contact with Csergo by means of LinkedIn.
This procuring checklist had been found by Australian intelligence authorities three weeks after Csergo returned to Sydney, the courtroom was advised.
Csergo had been allegedly requested to handwrite studies about Australia’s AUKUS protection expertise partnership with the USA and Britain, the QUAD diplomatic partnership, iron ore and lithium mining, Barko stated.
A advertising and marketing govt, Csergo, 55, was arrested within the beachside suburb of Bondi on Friday.
He’s the second particular person charged below Australia’s overseas interference legislation, which criminalizes exercise that helps a overseas energy intrude with Australia’s sovereignty or nationwide curiosity. It carries a most 15 yr jail sentence.
Csergo appeared in courtroom by way of video hyperlink from Parklea Jail the place he’s being held as a excessive safety prisoner. His mom and brother had been in courtroom.
Csergo had advised Australian intelligence brokers in an interview that when he met Ken and Evelyn in Shanghai cafes and eating places, the institutions had been empty and he suspected that they had been cleared, Barko stated.
He developed a excessive stage of hysteria and was in “survival mode,” he had advised the Australian authorities.
Csergo had exchanged round 3,300 WeChat messages with the pair, and had accepted money funds in envelopes, Barko stated.
Barko raised considerations for Csergo’s security, saying some folks could not need him to provide proof in opposition to China.
Csergo’s lawyer, Bernard Collaery, had sought bail, saying the studies Csergo had written had been primarily based on publicly sourced data and the case in opposition to his shopper was “shallow and unsubstantiated.”
Prosecutor Conor McCraith disputed this, saying it was not all open supply as a result of he had engaged covertly with two others to arrange studies. He additionally stated Csergo had not come to Australian authorities along with his considerations about Ken and Evelyn, and had as an alternative invited Ken to come back to Australia.
Collaery stated making money funds was a typical enterprise observe in China, and Csergo undertook the consulting work in the course of the COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai as a supply of earnings.
“After all he believed Ken and Evelyn had been conserving tabs on him. That’s the way it works in China, he turned very frightened about it,” Collaery stated.
Csergo had labored in China since 2002 in knowledge advertising and marketing, together with for a significant worldwide promoting company.
Collaery stated Csergo’s profession had come “tumbling down” since his arrest and he had no intention to return to China and as an alternative deliberate to pursue the Australian authorities for damages for ruining his profession.
Collaery advised media exterior the courtroom the case was a “civil liberties” subject and raised considerations in regards to the scope of the overseas interference legislation launched in 2018.
“For those who work as a marketing consultant in any overseas nation… and also you undertake consulting work that will relate to Australia’s overseas influences or nationwide safety… you could be responsible of overseas interference,” he advised reporters.
