A Chinese national was arrested in Honolulu after federal authorities discovered he allegedly hid his deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and his former role as a lieutenant colonel in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on his U.S. visa application, reports The Epochtimes.

Lin Fanlin, 51, born in Beijing in 1975, was taken into custody on July 1, 2026, at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport while attempting to enter the United States on a 10-year B-1/B-2 visa issued in 2017. He faces one count of fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents.

According to the criminal complaint, Lin falsely answered “No” on his 2017 visa application when asked if he had ever served in the military or belonged to any professional, social, or charitable organizations. He listed his occupation as general manager of a cultural development company and claimed previous work as a deputy director at an education training center.

Upon secondary inspection, Lin admitted to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers that he had attended a PLA military institute. A search of his phone uncovered a photo of his PLA discharge certificate showing he served from 1994 to 2011, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel at the Chemical Defense Command Engineering College. He also admitted to receiving basic firearms training and confirmed he is a current member of the Chinese Communist Party with a leadership role in his local branch.

Lin told officers he omitted his military background because he feared it would hurt his visa chances, claiming the school had since closed.

He made his initial court appearance on July 7 and is scheduled for a detention hearing on July 10, where prosecutors are seeking to hold him without bail.

This case adds to a growing list of incidents involving Chinese nationals accused of concealing military or CCP affiliations to gain entry into the United States. Lin’s lawyer has declined to comment pending review of the evidence.