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17-04-2023
Bureau Report
CANBERRA/ SYDNEY: An Australian man who recently returned to the country after living overseas has been charged with supplying sensitive information to foreign intelligence agents.
Fifty-five-year-old IT specialist Alexander Csergo was arrested by Australian Federal Police (AFP) shortly after he landed back in Sydney.
The authorities say that two years ago he was approached by two foreign spies.
They allegedly offered to pay him for national security information.
In a statement, the AFP said an individual claiming to be from a think tank contacted Csergo via social media while he was overseas and arranged for him to meet two representatives.
Court documents show that Csergo is believed to have met the pair, who went by the names “Ken” and “Evelyn”, in the Chinese city of Shanghai, though police have not specified which country is accused of trying to gather illicit information.
Csergo was offered money to obtain information about Australian defence, economic and national security arrangements, plus matters relating to other countries, the AFP’s statement said, adding: “Espionage and foreign interference pose a serious threat to Australia’s sovereignty, security and integrity of our national institutions.”
Csergo is only the second Australian to be charged under anti-spying laws that were put in place five years ago.
The Australian authorities are appealing for anyone else who met with Ken and Evelyn to also come forward.
Csergo appeared at Parramatta Children’s Court in New South Wales by video link. The matter has been adjourned until Monday 17 April.
The maximum penalty is for the count of reckless foreign interference, for which Csergo is facing is 15 years’ imprisonment.
Australia’s parliament has passed a package of new laws aimed at preventing foreign interference in the country.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the crackdown last December.
Although he denied it was aimed specifically at China, the move has added to diplomatic tensions with Beijing in recent months.
The wide-ranging laws, approved in the Senate on Thursday, target foreign interference in politics and other domestic affairs, as well as espionage.
Among key provisions, they will require lobbyists for foreign governments to identify themselves on a public register.
