Investigation against Krah labor force appears to be crumbling
In the heart of Dresden, the Higher Regional Court is currently hosting a significant trial that has cast a shadow over the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party. Jian G., a former assistant to Maximilian Krah, an AfD politician, is on trial for espionage on behalf of China.
Between 2019 and 2024, while employed by Krah during his tenure as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Jian G. is accused of passing on over 500 confidential documents from the European Parliament. He allegedly also collected personal information on AfD leaders, including Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, and spied on Chinese dissidents in Germany.
A second defendant, a Chinese national named Jaqi X., is charged with assisting Jian G. by providing information related to flights and military equipment transport through Leipzig Airport.
The trial, which started on August 5, 2025, is scheduled to continue until September with 13 hearing days planned. Prosecutors describe the case as "particularly serious," highlighting China's broader intelligence activities targeting Germany and the EU.
Krah, who entered the Bundestag via a direct mandate in Saxony despite controversies, denies any espionage involvement and remains a Bundestag member. Jian G.'s defense, however, rejects the espionage charges, arguing that he never agreed to share sensitive information and was primarily a foreign trade expert fostering Sino-German relations within the AfD framework. Jaqi X. testified that she was unaware of any espionage connection and claimed her cooperation was related to her logistics role.
The trial has unearthed a significant security breach involving the AfD leadership's personal data. The dossiers, written in Chinese, include sensitive information, such as intimate details about Weidel's private life. The General Public Prosecutor's Office in Dresden is also investigating Krah for money laundering and corruption as a member of the European Parliament.
The AfD faction took Krah on despite the controversies, but the Krah affair has been a thorn in the side of the AfD and damages the top leadership around Weidel and Chrupalla. The trial remains ongoing as of early August 2025.
[1] Der Spiegel, "Maximilian Krah: AfD-Politiker steht unter Verdacht, Millionen betrogen zu haben," August 2, 2025. [2] Süddeutsche Zeitung, "AfD-Mitarbeiter Jian G. vor Gericht: Krah-Vertrauter angeklagt wegen Spionage für China," August 5, 2025. [3] Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, "AfD-Politiker Maximilian Krah unter Verdacht: Millionenbetrug und Korruption," August 6, 2025. [4] Tagesspiegel, "AfD-Mitarbeiter Jian G. angeklagt: Krah-Vertrauter wegen Spionage für China," August 5, 2025. [5] Die Welt, "AfD-Mitarbeiter Jian G. wegen Spionage für China angeklagt," August 5, 2025.
The espionage trial of Jian G., a former assistant to Maximilian Krah, an AfD politician, has raised concerns about community policy and general-news, as the case involves breaches of confidentiality within the European Parliament and allegations of spying on Chinese dissidents in Germany. The trial also overlaps with crime-and-justice politics, as Prosecutors describe the case as "particularly serious" and highlight China's intelligence activities targeting Germany and the EU. The trial has also led to investigations regarding money laundering and corruption against Krah, further blurring the lines between politics and crime-and-justice.
