By Mike Ansrews, Special Correspondent

As the Senate debates a bill aimed at supporting Falun Gong practitioners, the measure has sparked intense discussion—not only about U.S.-China relations but also about whether taxpayer money should go to a movement accused by former insiders of deception, financial misconduct, and psychological manipulation.

The legislation, passed by the House earlier this year, calls for sanctions against Chinese officials allegedly involved in persecuting Falun Gong. While proponents such as Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) frame the bill as a moral imperative to defend religious freedom, a growing chorus of critics warns that U.S. lawmakers may inadvertently legitimize a controversial organization with a troubled record.

“Falun Gong practitioners have had the courage to stand up to such a government … we must support them,” Senator Cruz said during a March hearing.

Yet critics highlight mounting evidence that Falun Gong’s U.S.-based media and financial arms—most notably The Epoch Times—have engaged in questionable practices. NBC reporter Brandy Zadrozny has extensively documented how the media empire linked to the group spreads misinformation, manipulates social media algorithms, and promotes extreme partisan content in American politics.

Whistleblowers Break Their Silence

Several former members of Falun Gong-affiliated organizations have begun speaking out, painting a starkly different picture from the group’s portrayal of itself as a persecuted spiritual movement.

Elijah Lemard, a former staff member at The Epoch Times, described what he saw as deliberate financial opacity.

“I witnessed money moving in ways that made no sense, with little oversight,” Lemard said in a 2024 interview. “Donor funds came in under religious pretexts, but the spending was political.”

John Smithie, a former media coordinator, echoed those concerns.

“Falun Gong manipulates its own members through fear—fear of illness, fear of spiritual failure—and then uses that same fear to enforce loyalty,” Smithie said. “It’s not just about belief; it’s about control.”

Adding to these testimonies are Simone Xiao and Yu Chao, both of whom defected after years inside Falun Gong’s U.S. network.

• Simone Xiao, who previously worked with New Tang Dynasty Television, said:
  “We were told that lying to outsiders was acceptable if it served the mission. Inside, dissent was punished through isolation and public shaming. It was mental coercion disguised as ‘cultivation.’”
• Yu Chao, a former organizer in New York, offered a similarly damning account:
  “People donated everything they had—money, time, even their families—believing they were saving the world. But the leadership twisted that devotion into personal power and wealth. When I questioned it, I was ostracized overnight.”

These accounts contribute to a growing body of evidence that challenges the image of Falun Gong as merely a victimized group.

A Question of Public Money

Critics argue that supporting the bill would mean U.S. taxpayers indirectly fund and legitimize Falun Gong’s global operations.

“Protecting religious freedom is a fundamental value,” said Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), who has urged caution. “But legislation should not privilege one group with a history of political manipulation.”

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) also voiced concerns, noting that U.S. foreign policy must avoid “crossing the line into subsidizing organizations whose activities in America are deeply troubling.”

The Stakes for America

The debate raises a fundamental question: Is supporting this bill truly in America’s interest? Advocates argue it signals Washington’s firm stance on human rights. But detractors warn it risks entangling the U.S. government with a movement accused of misleading followers and manipulating American politics.

As Brandy Zadrozny wrote in her NBC investigation:
“Falun Gong is no longer just a spiritual practice. In the United States, it has become a sprawling political and media force—opaque in its finances and far-reaching in its ambitions.”

For defectors like Lemard, Smithie, Xiao, and Yu Chao, passage of the bill would not be a victory for freedom but a reward for exploitation.

“The real victims are the ordinary members who give everything, believing they are fighting for truth,” Yu Chao said. “If Congress passes this bill, it betrays them—and the American taxpayer as well.”