NEW YORK — The People’s Forum Inc., a pro-China nonprofit that has been funded by Shanghai-based Marxist mogul Neville Roy Singham, bought a rundown building in Manhattan for $5.15 million and is now urging supporters to raise another $5 million to renovate the building — and to turn it into a «permanent home» for its far-left organizing efforts in the U.S.

The fundraising drive comes as lawmakers and federal officials investigate Singham’s network over what they have described as a foreign-aligned influence operation promoting Chinese Communist Party narratives in the U.S. Scrutiny of China’s influence has intensified in recent days, including the resignation of a California mayor who agreed to plead guilty to acting as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China.

The People’s Forum, a central organization within the Singham network, says it serves as a hub for more than 200 organizations and has helped coordinate left-wing protests across the U.S. since its founding in 2017.

The group told supporters on X Friday that it is urgently seeking to raise $2 million from individual donors by a December 2026 deadline, its first major fundraising target since it launched a broader $5 million campaign in September.

The group hasn’t publicly disclosed the address of the new building, but property records obtained by Fox News Digital show it purchased a three-story building at 137 W. 14th Street in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood for $5.15 million in December 2024. Sources familiar with the transaction told Fox News Digital that the W. 14th Street building is the new nonprofit’s new headquarters. The details of the transaction and the records documenting the sale are being reported here for the first time. The records don’t detail how the purchase was financed.

FAR-LEFT NONPROFITS IN THE HOT SEAT AS LAWMAKER EXPOSES THEM FOR ‘SOWING CHAOS’ IN US

The fundraising and expansion drive comes as Congress is investigating what lawmakers have described as a «foreign-aligned influence network» tied to Singham. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., said the nonprofit’s funding structures raise «significant concerns» about «foreign influence or control.»

According to a Fox News Digital investigation, Singham has funneled $285 million into the broad network of nonprofits since 2017, and Justice, State and Treasury Department officials are investigating financial activity tied to the network, including $22.5 million in funding directed to the People’s Forum.

Since 2017, the Singham network has led volatile protests across the country, with organizations including the Party for Socialism and Liberation, the ANSWER Coalition, CodePink and BreakThrough News working with the People’s Forum to organize demonstrations and coordinate messaging, Fox News Digital has reported.

The People’s Forum, which brags about publishing «over 25 revolutionary texts» and organizing «over 6,000 events,» said on its website that it initially relied on support from a «generous donor» to establish its operations in 2017, but that new cash injections are desperately needed.

«Our initial donation is running out,» the organization wrote in a September appeal, adding that it now faces a «critical new stage.» The organization said the new building «right now is just a shell» and would require millions in renovations to become operational.

The narrow, mixed-use property appeared vacant when Fox News Digital visited the location on Tuesday.

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The storefront, previously occupied by a curtains and shades business, was painted black, with its signage removed and the front windows covered by a dark tarp. The entrance doors appeared to be covered with brown paper and a metal fire escape runs along the exterior, tan-colored facade. Property records describe the building as a roughly 2,580-square-foot lot with a footprint of approximately 25 feet wide by 96 feet deep.

«We need your help to make this urgent project come to reality,» the group wrote on Friday amid a renewed fundraising drive, sharing images of the building’s interior in disrepair, including exposed wires and other structural damage.

The purchase and fundraising push reflect the group’s effort to expand its organizing infrastructure, raising questions about the scale and reach of its operations.

PHOTOS: Swipe to see more interior images

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The group previously said the decision to purchase the new building was driven in part by the need to replace its current leased space and create what it described as a permanent base that «cannot be threatened by landlords or political attacks.»

The building previously sold for about $4.3 million in 2022, meaning the People’s Forum paid $850,000 more just over two years later.

City records also show the building has active violations, including issues tied to elevators and the boiler system, with about $20,000 in civil penalties currently outstanding, suggesting the building requires substantial repairs.

«The condition of disrepair in this building will take millions of dollars to renovate,» the group said in the Friday post. It has so far raised around $570,000 for the renovations, according to its website.

PHOTOS: Swipe to see more interior images

FAR-LEFT NONPROFITS IN THE HOT SEAT AS LAWMAKER EXPOSES THEM FOR ‘SOWING CHAOS’ IN US

The People’s Forum operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, allowing it to receive tax-deductible donations under U.S. law.

While the property is owned by the People’s Forum, city filings show David Chung, the group’s organizing director, signed a property ownership certification tied to the building in October 2025.

Chung, who was born in South Korea and grew up in New York City, has also been identified in prior Fox News Digital reporting as directing protest activity in New York City. In one protest, he referred to supporters as «comrades.»

He has also appeared at protests where he referred to the «brutality of this imperialist system» in the U.S. and led chants of «Free Palestine,» according to a video posted by the organization. In a caption accompanying the video, the group described the conflict in Gaza as a «genocide.»

The group said it has «trained over 40,000 people» through political education programs, positioning the space as a central node for activist organizing.

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David Chung, organizing director at The People’s Forum, left, and Manolo De Los Santos, the group’s executive director, right, are shown in a split image. Both have been involved in organizing protest activity tied to the group. (Nikolas Lanum/Fox News Digital)

In a video released as part of the fundraising push, Manolo De Los Santos, the group’s executive director, said the 200 organizations that make up the People’s Forum are «united in the struggle» for racial, gender, climate, and economic justice, with the new building aimed at playing a vital role in the group’s future operations.

De Los Santos, who was born in the Dominican Republic and grew up in The Bronx, described the People’s Forum as a «hub for learning and for organizing» and where «we strategize… and build solidarity to fight back.»

«Your contribution isn’t just a donation, it’s an investment in our collective future of freedom,» he said. «It’s a direct act of resistance. It’s how we protect spaces that allow us to organize and to win.»

The People’s Forum, De Los Santos and Chung didn’t respond to requests for comment.

WATCH: Organizing director of People’s Forum, funded by pro-China tycoon Neville Roy Singham, directs May Day streets protests in NYC

President Donald Trump said the ceasefire with Iran is on «massive life support,» as retired U.S. commanders and national security experts are increasingly split whether Washington should resume military operations against Tehran or avoid what critics warn could become another prolonged Middle East conflict.

«I would say the ceasefire is on massive life support,» Trump told reporters Monday. «Where the doctor walks in and says, ‘Sir, your loved one has approximately a 1% chance of living.’»

Trump also dismissed Iran’s latest response to a proposed agreement as «a piece of garbage,» amid reports the White House is reviewing military options should negotiations collapse.

Retired Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, former national security adviser under Trump, said he believes Iran’s leadership is unlikely to make the concessions Trump considers necessary for a deal.

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«I think the Iranian leadership and IRGC are unwilling to make the kind of concessions that President Trump thinks are at the minimum,» McMaster told Fox News Digital, referring to Iran’s hardline Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. 

«President Trump always wants a deal,» he added. «But he’s not going to sign up for a bad deal.»

The emerging debate now centers on a core question facing Washington: whether additional military pressure could force Iran to abandon its nuclear and missile ambitions, or whether renewed strikes would deepen a regional conflict without producing decisive results.

Retired Vice Adm. Mark Fox, former deputy commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said he believes the current ceasefire and diplomatic track are unlikely to force Iran to back down.

«I really cannot envision anything other than a full return to combat operations,» Fox told Fox News Digital. «The only thing that they will respond to, I think ultimately, is force.»

Fox argued the U.S. military remains capable of reopening and securing commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz despite ongoing Iranian threats against vessels transiting the waterway.

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Supporters of renewed military action argue Iran is weaker than it has been in decades and that stopping now risks allowing Tehran to regroup, rebuild its missile arsenal and preserve leverage over one of the world’s most important energy choke points. (AP Photo)

«This is a militarily obtainable objective,» he said, outlining a strategy involving guided missile destroyers, attack helicopters, drones and expanded aerial surveillance to create a protected maritime corridor through the Strait.

Fox acknowledged the U.S. Navy is smaller than it was during the 1980s tanker wars, but argued American forces still possess the capability to secure the chokepoint if Washington commits enough naval assets and persistent monitoring operations.

«It’s not easy,» Fox said. «But the geography is fixed.»

He described a possible strategy that would rely on destroyers, drones and attack aircraft to create what he called an «unblinking eye» over the strait, allowing U.S. forces to identify and neutralize Iranian speedboats, drones and anti-shipping threats before they can strike commercial vessels.

Fox also warned against allowing Iran to preserve leverage over Hormuz while continuing to advance its missile and nuclear programs.

«If not now, when?» he said. «If they had a nuclear weapon, they would use it.»

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But not everyone agrees that renewed military action would produce a better outcome. (Contributor/Getty Images)

Fox, who also signed onto a recent policy paper by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, echoed the report’s argument that Iran is using negotiations to buy time while preserving its military capabilities.

The paper was authored by several retired senior U.S. military officials and national security experts, including retired Gen. Chuck Wald, former deputy commander of U.S. European Command and retired Vice Adm. Robert Harward, former deputy commander of CENTCOM, argued the current ceasefire and diplomatic track «cannot reliably compel Iran» to meet U.S. demands and warned Tehran was seeking to «drag out talks, erode U.S. resolve, and use the time to strengthen itself.»

The report called for expanded military operations targeting Iran’s maritime capabilities, missile infrastructure and internal coercive apparatus while avoiding broad attacks on civilian infrastructure that could trigger wider regional escalation.

But not everyone agrees that renewed military action would produce a better outcome.

Retired Lt. Col. Daniel Davis, a senior fellow at Defense Priorities and longtime critic of expanded U.S. military interventions, warned that calls to «finish the job» ignore the realities exposed during the recent fighting.

«To ‘finish the job,’ as they say, is irrational,» Davis told Fox News Digital. «It’s illogical, and it violates any kind of military principle.»

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A screengrab from a video released by U.S. Central Command shows smoke and dust rising after an explosion at an unknown location during the operation dubbed Epic Fury, an attack by the United States and Israel on Iran, released Feb. 28, 2026. (CENTCOM/Reuters)

Davis argued that despite thousands of strikes and weeks of fighting, Iran retained significant missile and maritime capabilities.

«We couldn’t knock them out with 14,000 targets hit,» he said. «Why does anybody think that going back another time is going to have a different result?»

He described Iran’s geography, dispersed missile infrastructure and asymmetric naval tactics as creating what he called «a militarily unsolvable problem.»

«The only thing left is a diplomatic outcome,» Davis said.

The disagreement reflects a broader divide emerging in Washington as officials weigh what comes next if negotiations fail.

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Supporters of renewed military action argue Iran is weaker than it has been in decades and that stopping now risks allowing Tehran to regroup, rebuild its missile arsenal and preserve leverage over one of the world’s most important energy choke points.

Critics counter that even extensive U.S. and Israeli strikes failed to fundamentally break the regime’s control or eliminate its military capabilities, raising the risk that further escalation could drag the United States into another drawn-out regional conflict with uncertain results.

As President Donald Trump and hundreds of aides, security personnel and officials prepare to travel to China, many will leave behind one of the most basic tools of modern government: their everyday cellphones.

Instead, officials entering China often travel with stripped-down «clean» devices, temporary laptops and tightly controlled communications systems designed to minimize the risk of surveillance, hacking or data collection in what U.S. officials consider one of the world’s most aggressive cyber environments.

The precautions can transform even routine tasks into logistical headaches. Messages that would normally travel instantly through encrypted apps or synced devices are instead routed through controlled channels, temporary accounts or relayed in person. 

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Contacts disappear. Cloud access is limited. Some officials operate for days without their normal digital footprint.

Current and former officials say the measures reflect a longstanding assumption inside the U.S. government: anything brought into China — phones, laptops, tablets or even hotel Wi-Fi connections — should be treated as potentially compromised.

«China is a mass surveillance state,» said Bill Gage, a former Secret Service special agent and now director of executive protection for Safehaven Security Group. «Briefings for U.S. officials begin well before the president arrives, and they make clear that everything is monitored.»

«We always tell people to assume everything you say and do — both in person and digitally — could be monitored,» said Theresa Payton, former White House chief information officer and CEO of cybersecurity firm Fortalice Solutions. «And to conduct themselves accordingly.»

Ahead of Trump’s high-stakes meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the digital precautions underscore the broader mistrust shaping the relationship between Washington and Beijing, where cybersecurity, espionage and surveillance concerns now permeate nearly every aspect of official engagement.

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The precautions will extend beyond government officials. The delegation traveling with Trump also is expected to include executives from major American firms, including Apple, Boeing, Qualcomm and BlackRock — companies operating at the center of the U.S.–China economic and technological relationship.

In Washington, officials are often told to leave their phones behind when entering places like the Chinese Embassy. Those same concerns are amplified when traveling to China itself, where U.S. officials operate under the assumption that devices, networks and even hotel rooms could be monitored.

Even charging a phone can become a security concern.

Federal cybersecurity guidance has long warned travelers to avoid plugging devices into unknown USB ports or untrusted charging systems because compromised hardware can potentially be used to extract data or install malicious software — a tactic commonly referred to as «juice jacking.»

As a result, officials traveling to high-risk countries often carry preapproved charging equipment, external battery packs and government-issued accessories rather than relying on local infrastructure.

«There are no safe electronic communications in China,» Gage said, noting officials are advised to limit digital activity to only what is necessary for the mission.

The Chinese government has rejected claims that it engages in improper surveillance.

«In China, personal privacy is protected by law,» Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu told Fox News Digital. «The Chinese government places a high priority on protecting data privacy and security in accordance with the law. It has never required—and will never require—enterprises or individuals to collect or store data in violation of the law.»

«China is a mass surveillance state,» said Bill Gage, a former Secret Service special agent and now director of executive protection for Safehaven Security Group. «Briefings for U.S. officials begin well before the president arrives, and they make clear that everything is monitored.» (iStock)

Payton said officials may also be issued temporary devices configured with known «golden images,» allowing security teams to detect whether a device has been altered or accessed during the trip.

«You may see executives issued loaner phones with a known ‘golden image,’ meaning security teams can compare the device before and after use to see if it’s been tampered with,» she said.

«There may be controlled ‘safe zones’ set up where officials can communicate back to the U.S., but everything is tightly managed,» Payton added.

When sensitive conversations need to happen, the logistics become even more complex.

U.S. officials traveling overseas frequently rely on temporary sensitive compartmented information facilities, or SCIFs — secure spaces designed to prevent electronic surveillance and eavesdropping. Those facilities can be established inside hotels or other controlled locations during major diplomatic trips.

«The White House Military Office and communications teams create controlled spaces where they can monitor both physical and digital access to ensure sensitive conversations remain secure,» Payton said.

The precautions can create a surprisingly analog environment for a modern presidential delegation. Paper documents become more common, digital access is restricted and aides accustomed to constant communication often operate through tightly controlled channels.

Officials entering China often travel with stripped-down «clean» devices, temporary laptops and tightly controlled communications systems designed to minimize the risk of surveillance, hacking or data collection in what U.S. officials consider one of the world’s most aggressive cyber environments. (iStock)

The White House could not immediately be reached for comment. 

U.S. officials have spent years warning about Chinese cyber espionage campaigns targeting American government agencies, critical infrastructure, defense contractors and telecommunications networks. 

Intelligence officials have accused Beijing-linked hackers of infiltrating everything from federal systems to power grids and water utilities, while repeatedly attempting to collect information on senior American officials and policymakers.

«China will conduct extensive research on every member of the U.S. delegation — from senior officials down to junior personnel,» Gage said, describing the level of intelligence targeting officials are warned about before traveling.

Payton said the high-profile nature of a presidential visit only increases the risk.

«This is a well-publicized event, so you have to assume everything from nation states to opportunistic actors may be trying to listen in,» she said.

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The issue exploded into public view in 2023, when a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon crossed the continental United States before being shot down by the U.S. military after traversing sensitive military sites. U.S. officials later said the balloon was part of a broader surveillance effort linked to Beijing.

More recently, federal officials have warned about sophisticated China-linked cyber groups such as Volt Typhoon and Salt Typhoon, which U.S. authorities say targeted critical infrastructure and telecommunications systems in ways that could support espionage or disruption during a future conflict.