A Chinese national from El Monte faces charges of trespassing at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, where he told Secret Service agents he wanted to drop off documents purportedly related to China’s involvement in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump.
Zijie Li, 38, who allegedly attempted multiple times to access Mar-a-Lago, was arrested by Palm Beach police on July 31 for trespassing after he was warned to stay away. He pleaded not guilty Friday in Palm Beach County Court and remained in jail Monday, Aug. 5, on $10,000 bail.
Efforts to contact Li’s relatives and Trump campaign officials for comment were unsuccessful.
Li’s first encounter occurred at about 8 p.m. on July 19, when the gray Toyota Prius he was driving attempted to enter the main gate at Mar-a-Lago and was stopped by Secret Service agents, according to a Palm Beach police probable cause affidavit obtained by the Southern California News Group.
Li reportedly informed the agents he possessed information that China was involved in the failed assassination of Trump at a campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13 and wanted to leave documents with them. The agents informed Li he was trespassing, adding that he was not allowed to enter further onto Mar-a-Lago property.
Palm Beach police arrived at Mar-a-Lago and issued a written trespassing warning to Li, who was advised he would be arrested if he returned, the affidavit states.
On July 30 at 5:41 p.m., Li was seen driving his vehicle on South Ocean Boulevard toward the Mar-a-Lago checkpoint. A police officer made contact with Li, who was blocking a traffic lane. During the encounter, the officer noticed Li’s GPS had a destination of 1100 S. Ocean Blvd., which is the address of Mar-a-Lago.
The officer released Li, who then was seen about an hour later driving about a block away from Mar-a-Lago, prompting Palm Beach police and Secret Service agents to contact him outside the security zone.
Once again, Li was told not to return to Mar-a-Lago and was released, according to the affidavit.
A day later, just after 10 a.m., Li’s vehicle allegedly traveled eastbound over Palm Beach’s Southern Boulevard Bridge, past Secret Service checkpoints and barricades, and attempted to enter through the south gate at Mar-a-Lago.Li was told by security personnel who stopped him that he could not enter.
He then drove off and was arrested by police a little more than an hour later.
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Other Chinese nationals also have been arrested for illegally entering Mar-a-Lago over the last few years, according to Fox 29 in West Palm Beach.
In June 2022, a 53-year-old man was arrested on a trespassing charge.
Jing Lu, a Chinese national, was charged with illegally entering Mar-a-Lago in December 2019.
Mar-a-Lago intruder Yujing Zhang was deported to China in 2021 after serving a prison sentence in the U.S. following her 2019 arrest.
Additionally, a Connecticut opera singer was arrested after she drove a speeding SUV through a checkpoint outside Mar-a-Lago on Jan. 31, 2020.
