Inside the VERY luxurious New York liquor store “run by a Chinese spy” where you can still buy $5,000 bottles of whiskey

It's a luxury liquor store in a nondescript New York neighborhood. In the past, customers' biggest concern was whether spending $5,000 on a bottle of whiskey was a good idea. Now there's an even bigger problem.

Shop owner Christopher Hu, 40, and his wife Linda Sun, 41, were arrested this week at their $4.1 million Long Island mansion. The arrest was part of a major FBI operation to dismantle a “Chinese spy ring” that had penetrated the upper echelons of the Democratic Party.

Sun, who was a former deputy chief of staff to Governor Kathy Hochul and a former aide to Andrew Cuomo, was charged with working as a secret agent for the Chinese government and using the proceeds from her illegal work to finance the family's luxurious lifestyle. She and her husband, a businessman, were also charged with money laundering. Both have pleaded not guilty.

Locals and regular customers at Hu's liquor store, Leivine Wine & Spirits, in Queens are stunned by the arrests. One customer left an online review this week saying, “The store is very nice. However, I am a little concerned that the owner and his wife were arrested by the FBI.”

Linda Sun, former assistant to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and her husband Christopher Hu hold hands as they leave federal court in Brooklyn on Tuesday after their arraignment. Sun is accused of being an aide to the Chinese government.

High-quality spirits and wines fill the shelves at Leivine Wine & Spirits

The most expensive items were displayed behind the cash register, including a bottle of Dalmore single malt whisky from Scotland, 30 years old and priced at an incredible $5,200.

Located in the heart of Flushing at 33-70 Farrington Street, the store features a huge selection of some of the most expensive premium wines and spirits on the market.

In the basement of the building, the shelves are filled with top-quality products – for example, a 30-year-old bottle of Dalmore single malt whisky from Scotland costs an incredible $5,200.

Inside, decorative bottles are on display, including vodka bottles in the shape of a Ukrainian-made rifle and an oversized gold screw, as well as specialty rum in a bottle shaped like a baseball bat.

The store also features a temperature-controlled wine room with bottles ranging in price from a whopping $20,000 to $50,000.

There were three framed pictures hanging on the wall.

One of them contained a certificate from the New York State Liquor Authority. The second contained a certificate of authenticity dated September 20, 2022.

The third picture showed two framed hundred dollar bills.

A young man of Asian descent and employee of the store was shocked to hear the news that his boss, Christopher Hu, and his wife had been arrested.

“Absolutely not,” the twenty-something told DailyMail.com.

'I had no idea.'

The employee who announced that the store will open in 2022, said he had only been working there for a few months and added that Hu occasionally comes by with his wife.

When asked if Hu was a good boss, the young man laughed and replied, “He is a boss.”

Hu's liquor store is one of several business ventures he has undertaken in recent years. He also started a company called Medical Supplies USA during the pandemic, the New York Times reported.

When DailyMail.com asked the U.S. Attorney's Office why the liquor store was still open after Hu's arrest, a spokesperson replied: “No comment.”

The exclusive Dalmore Single Malt Whisky was prominently presented behind the counter

The Flushing store is Hu's only location

Sun was dramatically arrested along with her husband on Tuesday following a dawn raid on their $4 million home in Manhasset, Long Island.

Sun and Hu are accused of receiving millions in bribes from the Chinese Communist Party to fund a lavish lifestyle that includes a $2 million condo in Hawaii and a 2024 Ferrari.

Sun is also accused of abusing her influence to advance China's geopolitical agenda by refusing to meet with Taiwanese politicians and avoiding any criticism of Beijing's persecution of Uighur Muslims in her messages.

She and her husband pleaded not guilty to all charges on Tuesday. Their bail was set at $1.5 million, while Hu's bail is $500,000.

Hochul said she has been assisting the Justice Department in its investigation for months and will continue to work with them.

She sharply criticized Sun's actions, calling it an “absolute breach of trust between two governments in the state government,” which included forging her signature on documents.

Hochul also stressed that she continued to have confidence in the review process, claiming that as a “mid-level assistant,” Sun had no real influence on her policies.

Huang Ping, Consul General of the People's Republic of China in New York, was removed from office following Sun's espionage allegations.

The couple outside the federal court in Brooklyn after the arraignment on Tuesday

The couple's $4 million villa is located in the exclusive Stone Hill residential complex in Manhasset

Neighbors of the couple's upscale home in Manhasset on Long Island, New York, spoke to DailyMail.com about their shock following the arrests.

A local resident said he saw more than 20 FBI vehicles and canine units near his home while walking his dog about six weeks ago.

“It was incredible,” he recalled.

“Everyone is very shocked and surprised. None of us really knew who they were.”

He said the only time he ever spoke to Hu was when he moved into the multimillion-dollar mansion about three to four years ago – but others believe they had lived there longer.

The neighbor said that when Hu asked him about his profession, he replied that he was a building contractor and had various other businesses.

He also said that he occasionally sees Sun and an elderly woman, who may also live in the house, walking around the community.

Another neighbor said they “stayed among themselves” but “had parties and people visiting every now and then.”

“Nobody knows what anyone does for a living. It's a very private area and people go about their own business and keep to themselves,” he added.

He said that as soon as he moved in, he noticed that they had done a lot of renovations to their house.

The neighbor remembered being at home the day the couple's three cars were seized, but could not remember what types of vehicles they were.

He described the scene as follows: The street was completely cordoned off and he saw items being removed from the house late into the night.

When asked what he thought about his neighbor being a suspected Chinese agent, he seemed confused.

“What secrets can she learn from the governor of New York State to share with the Chinese,” he said.