China says Wells Fargo banker under exit ban is involved in a criminal case

China’s foreign ministry said Monday that Chenyue Mao, a Wells Fargo banker who has been blocked from leaving the country, was involved in a criminal case and obliged to cooperate with the investigation.

BEIJING — China’s foreign ministry said Monday that Chenyue Mao, a Wells Fargo banker who has been blocked from leaving the country, was involved in a criminal case and obliged to cooperate with the investigation.

Chinese law enforcement authorities have restricted Mao’s exit in accordance with the law, Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the ministry, told a regular news briefing.

Wells Fargo did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters sent outside normal U.S. business hours. On Friday, the company said it was “working through the appropriate channels” to secure Mao’s return to the United States.

The U.S. bank suspended all travel to China after Mao’s exit ban, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters last week, saying she was a U.S. citizen. It is not known exactly when the ban was imposed.

The case is being investigated and Mao is obliged to cooperate with the investigation, Guo said, without elaborating on the case or how the banker is alleged to be involved.