An Australian businessman has been found guilty of reckless foreign interference after preparing reports for individuals he should have suspected were working for Chinese intelligence.
A NSW District Court jury on Friday ruled that Alexander Csergo, 59, acted recklessly when he compiled a series of reports for two people known only as “Ken” and “Evelyn”, whom he was contacted by on LinkedIn in November 2021. Prosecutors argued and the jury agreed that Csergo should have suspected the pair were linked to China’s Ministry of State Security.
Csergo, who ran a business in Shanghai, was approached by a woman claiming to represent a Chinese think tank. He later produced fake and plagiarised reports using open‑source information on topics including mining, politics, defence and security.
A Long Career in China
The former Waverley College athletics captain and science graduate began working in China in 2002 after stints at Telstra and Hyatt International. Over the years, he worked with a major US advertising agency, led a data‑analytics infrastructure project for Shanghai Volkswagen, and helped develop systems for China Telecom and French advertising giant JCDecaux.
The Jury’s Finding
The jury concluded that Csergo’s decision to prepare the reports despite clear warning signs met the threshold for recklessness under Australia’s foreign interference laws. The case marks one of the most high‑profile applications of the legislation since it was strengthened to counter covert foreign influence.
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