Australian first to be found guilty of foreign interferenceAFP, SYDNEYAn Australian man who worked in China was found guilty of reckless foreign interference by a Sydney court yesterday, the first conviction for the offense. Marketing executive Alexander Csergo, 59, was arrested by Australian police in Sydney in 2023, shortly after he returned from living in Shanghai. RECKLESS INTERFERENCEHe was the first person charged with the crime of reckless foreign interference, which carries a maximum 15-year prison term. The law was introduced in 2018, criminalizing activity that helps a foreign power interfere with Australia’s sovereignty or national interest. A jury found Csergo guilty yesterday, a court official said.

Source: Taipei Times March 13, 2026 16:52 UTC