Former AfD Aide Jian Guo Sentenced to Prison for Espionage Amid Ongoing Investigations into His Former Boss

Jian Guo, the former parliamentary assistant to Maximilian Krah, a key figure in the far-right German party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), has received a prison sentence of four years and nine months for espionage conducted on behalf of China. Guo, a German citizen, served as Krah's aide for five years during his tenure as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and continued in the same role after Krah was elected to the German parliament earlier this year. Guo was arrested in Dresden in April 2024 on accusations of carrying out espionage activities that allegedly favored China. Despite the serious allegations, Guo has maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. In a statement regarding the case, Krah expressed that he was completely unaware of his assistant's activities and learned about the accusations through media reports. He emphasized that following Guo's arrest, he took all necessary measures to enhance security within his office to safeguard his operations. During Guo’s arrest, Krah had not yet been charged with any crime. However, it came to light that last May, the Dresden public prosecutor's office began investigating Krah for corruption and money laundering concerning suspected payments he allegedly received from China while serving as an MEP. With the investigation progressing, the prosecutors sought to revoke Krah's parliamentary immunity to facilitate searches and gather further evidence against him, a request that was ultimately approved by the German parliament on September 11. Despite facing scrutiny, Krah has consistently labeled the allegations against him as absurd and politically motivated, arguing that the accusations stem from a biased assessment of his political actions. As the investigations continue into Guo's espionage activities and Krah's potential involvement in corruption, the implications of this case could resonate through the political landscape of Germany, particularly regarding the AfD's ongoing challenges with extremist affiliations and foreign influences. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2