Bondi man first jailed under foreign interference laws

0:00A Bondi man has become the first to be jailed under new laws to tackle foreign interference in Australia after a cash for data deal with suspected Chinese spies. Alexander Sergos was paid in envelopes stuffed with money after supplying information on everything from Australia's mining interests to the Orcas deal. Paul Caddac has more. Good afternoon, the Bondi businessman was sentenced to three and a half years jail after being found guilty of reckless foreign interference after accepting cash in return for preparing reports for suspected Chinese spies on Australia's defence, security and mining industries. Alexander Sergos is the first person to be charged with the offense arrested in 2023 after returning to Sydney from a lengthy period in China. Over a year and a half he had regular contact with two operatives, not only as Ken and Evelyn, who in return for thousands of dollars in cash asked him to deliver reports on Australia's

1:01lithium and iron ore industries, the Orcas Alliance, with Britain and the US for nuclear submarines. His trial told of covert and deceptive behaviour, Sergos reaching out to people in Australia for information for what he called a think tank, even trying to unsuccessfully contact former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. The Jagogo argued that he only ever provided Ken and Evelyn information that was publicly available. The judge, though, satisfied Sergos was at least suspicious. His handlers were Chinese intelligence. Sergos was already behind bars. The judge, conceding prison, had been tough for him. His family, hopeful, it won't be for much longer. Still, I want him at 12. Alexander Sergos' legal team has yet to say whether they will now accept the sentence or plan to appeal.