A wealthy California family that has poured millions of dollars into Democratic campaigns is now reportedly facing renewed scrutiny over its connections to people and organizations linked to suspected Chinese spy Fang Fang.
The Yin family, which built a fortune running McDonald’s franchises in California, has given more than $4.4 million to state and federal political causes, according to campaign records cited by CBS News. That total includes hundreds of thousands of dollars to Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris and other prominent Democrats.
The family’s political ties have come under the spotlight following the release of FBI files concerning Fang, also known as Christine Fang. Her relationship with disgraced former California Rep. Eric Swalwell became the center of a major national security controversy.
The documents, released by the White House in August, describe a working relationship between Fang and CC Yin, the 89-year-old patriarch of the Yin family. According to the files, that relationship ran through the Asian Pacific American Public Affairs (APAPA) organization, which CC Yin helped establish.
The name of the APAPA official who directed Swalwell to Fang is redacted in the documents. However, CBS News reported that two people familiar with the files identified that individual as CC Yin.
There is no evidence that the Yin family knew about Fang’s alleged espionage, and neither has been accused by U.S. law enforcement of acting as a foreign agent.
“I love America, and I strongly condemn any effort by any foreign government to interfere in American politics or undermine our democracy,” CC Yin told CBS News.
The family, which also includes CC Yin’s brother, Henry Yin, has donated heavily to Democratic politicians.
According to state and federal campaign records reported by CBS News, the family’s McDonald’s franchise business gave $364,817 to campaigns supporting Newsom, $80,000 to his 2019 inauguration committee and another $50,000 to a “nonprofit at Newsom’s direction.”
The records show the family also gave $221,700 to Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis’ campaigns between 2018 and 2025, and $214,300 to Harris’ campaigns between 2019 and 2024. Former California Treasurer John Chiang received $115,680.
The family also donated $15,800 to Rep. Ro Khanna’s congressional campaigns since 2017, according to the records. The New York Post reported it reached out to the offices of all the recipients for comment.
A spokeswoman for Khanna’s office pushed back on any suggestion of a deeper tie.
“Henry never had an official government or campaign role with Rep. Khanna. FEC and official documents show that. Henry lived in Fremont and has been active in the local community for decades. Rep. Khanna has had many volunteer leaders like Henry,” the spokeswoman told the Post.
Henry Yin has also appeared alongside Newsom, including during the governor’s 2023 trip to China, CBS News reported.
Meanwhile, national security experts have raised questions about Henry Yin’s documented meetings in China with officials associated with the Chinese government’s United Front.
“This is how the United Front works. They build these friendly, long-term relationships, then at some point they make requests,” Cheryl Yu, a fellow at The Jamestown Foundation, told CBS News.
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