The family of a US Olympic gold medallist was targeted by Chinese spies.
Alysa Liu, 20, secured the gold medal in figure skating at the Winter Olympics after posting a remarkable 150.20 in her free skate.
That performance lifted her overall total to 226.79, enough to finish ahead of Japan’s Kaori Sakamoto, who had beaten Alysa at the 2025 world title.
The win marked a major milestone for Team USA: Liu became the first American to win Olympic gold in women’s figure skating in more than two decades, since Sarah Hughes’ triumph in 2002.
She also became the first figure skating medallist for the US since Sasha Cohen in 2006.
Speaking after her victory, she said: “My family is out there, my friends are out there. I had to put on a show for them.
“When I see other people smiling, because I see them in the audience, I have to smile, too. I have no poker face.”
Liu’s family story stretches back beyond the ice rink. Her father, Arthur, moved to California’s Bay Area after growing up in China’s Sichuan Province, leaving the country when he was 25.
According to reports, his history in China later brought unexpected scrutiny as Alysa prepared to compete at the Beijing Olympics.
Just months before the Games, Arthur was reportedly approached by individuals described as Chinese government spies.
Alysa described the experience to Fox News as ‘a little bit freaky and exciting.’
She added: “You know what I mean? It’s so… unbelievable. You know what I mean like, that’s crazy.”
The incident raised questions about what prompted the alleged targeting.
Before emigrating, Arthur had taken part in pro-democracy activity, including alleged involvement in the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. Reports say his political activism ultimately contributed to his decision to leave China and resettle in the United States.
Coverage at the time said five men were charged with spying on Chinese dissidents in the US, and that one of them allegedly reached out to Arthur in 2021.
According to the reports, the person allegedly pretended to be a US Olympic official and asked Arthur for details connected to his passport.
Arthur has previously said he believed the contact was intended to intimidate him and silence his human-rights advocacy, and he also acknowledged concerns about his daughter’s safety.
Alysa ultimately left Beijing without a medal and later stepped away from the sport for a period.
She has since returned to competition—and this time, she ended her comeback with the Olympic title.