LAFAYETTE, LA — A Lafayette man was arrested Wednesday morning following a cyber investigation led by the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division, in partnership with the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Investigation.
Chun Ping “Eddie” Lau, 47, was taken into custody on charges of violating Louisiana RS 18:1463 C(1)—Political Material; Ethics; Prohibitions. The arrest follows an investigation into a complaint filed earlier this year regarding the dissemination of misinformation during the February 2023 election for Senate District 23.
According to investigators, Lau is alleged to have played a key role in spreading false information about a political candidate in the lead-up to the February 15th election. The investigation uncovered evidence linking Lau to the distribution of misleading materials designed to influence voters’ opinions.
As part of the investigation, authorities obtained search warrants for both Lau’s residence and his business address. During the execution of the search warrants, detectives seized several electronic devices, which are currently being processed as part of the ongoing investigation. The information gathered from these devices may provide additional insight into the extent of Lau’s involvement.
A 15th Judicial District Judge issued an arrest warrant for Lau, who was subsequently booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center. A preset bond of $2,500 was set for his release.
The case remains under investigation, with forensic examinations continuing on the seized devices. Detectives are working to gather further evidence and assess the full scope of the alleged misinformation campaign.
No further details are available at this time, and authorities have stated that additional information will be released as the investigation progresses.