In May 2020, an Australian lawyer identified only as Henry received a casual offer on LinkedIn. "We are looking for Security expert consultant employment from Australia and Canada (part-time)," wrote someone using the name "Sophy". The account claimed to represent Data 31, a security consultancy "organised by three retired Australian police officers" and based in Shanghai.
Henry, a US-qualified lawyer with extensive experience in China who left the Australian Army as a major after nearly two decades, was one of thousands of people targeted between 2016 and 2025 by personas the ABC says were allegedly operated by the Chinese intelligence service.
The LinkedIn accounts were deregistered last year following an Australian Federal Police investigation into Sydney businessman Alexander Csergo, who in March became the first person convicted of reckless foreign interference under Australian law. One persona, "Vera Su", featured in that investigation and prosecution.
Those approached by the alleged spies included government officials, former military personnel and security professionals linked to Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand, the nations of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.
At least seven Australians were contacted in 2020 under the Data 31 identity, including people with military backgrounds, a freelance writer and podcaster, a lawyer, a security executive and Australian trade department representatives. Among them was an employee of an organisation belonging to mining magnate Andrew Forrest.
In a message to one Australian security executive, the account said Data 31 was seeking consultants to conduct "active investigations" and write "security reports" to "assist banks, data companies and venture capital institutions in Shanghai". The proposed reports covered international relations, economics and counter-terrorism.
The ABC said it had seen no evidence that any of the Australians accepted the offers. Neither Henry nor Mr Forrest responded to the ABC's requests for comment.