Lawyer is accused of cyberstalking BigLaw attorneys with posts referring to sex files, sniper and silencer
A Texas lawyer is accused in a federal complaint of cyberstalking and transmitting threatening communications to a partner at an “international law firm,” as well as an associate also working at such a firm. (Screenshots from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas’ unsealed complaint filed Sept. 5)
Updated: A Texas lawyer is accused in a federal complaint of cyberstalking and transmitting threatening communications to a partner at an “international law firm,” as well as an associate also working at such a firm.
Lawyer Fangzhou Chen, also known as Amber Chen, is charged in an unsealed complaint filed Sept. 5 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Law360 reports.
The partner’s firm has a team dedicated to monitoring Chen’s social media accounts, according to an affidavit supporting the criminal complaint. The firm has also provided the partner and his family “with 24/7 private security” as a result of Chen’s activity, the affidavit says.
The affidavit says the FBI in Dallas first began investigating Chen in February after learning that she had submitted 25 online tips to the FBI National Threat Operations Center for a little less than a year, none of which was substantiated. Subjects of the tips included terrorism, murder for hire, crimes against children, bank robbery, civil rights crimes and election crimes.
The firm partner, referred to as “V1,” contacted an FBI special agent in June to report that he and the associate, referred to as “V2,” were being targeted by Chen in online activity. Also in June, Chen submitted a tip that said the firm associate was hiring a killer to murder her in Texas, the affidavit alleges.
The partner, who never met Chen or communicated with her, forwarded screenshots of Chen’s social media posts that included these alleged statements:
• “If [the partner] does not resign by Monday, [the partner’s firm] will lose half of the clients”
• “And if you ever cross me again, it’s not just calling feds 5 months later”
• “All [the partner’s] sex files will be made public and non-classified.”
• “If any of you stalk me again I’ll [gun emoji] you to death”
• “Never in my lifetime I have ever heard an associate attorney can kill a managing partner”
• “Sniper on site”
• [The associate] is in California, [the partner] is in Manhattan. Use a silencer.”
• “Ever played a real life Squid Game? lol [laughing emoji]”
• “Use a silencer.”
Representatives from the partner’s firm also forwarded to the FBI a series of emails from Chen’s email account to the partner’s work address. The emails allegedly told the partner to leave the United States, and if Chen ever saw the partner around the firm, the partner “will be eliminated on the spot.”
The State Bar of Texas website lists Chen as a Texas lawyer but says her primary practice location is in Washington, D.C. Chen’s profile lists the website of Latham & Watkins as Chen’s firm but says she is retired.
Chen was never employed at Latham & Watkins, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke with the ABA Journal.
Chen’s lawyer, Curt Crum, did not immediately respond to a Journal email seeking comment. Nor did he immediately respond to a phone message left with his firm in Texas.
Updated Sept. 16 at 12:21 p.m. to include additional reporting on Amber Chen.
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