Pro-China nonprofit People's Forum buys rundown Manhattan building amid federal probe

NEW YORK — The People's Forum Inc., a pro-China nonprofit funded by Shanghai-based Neville Roy Singham, bought a rundown building in Manhattan for $5.15 million. The group now urges supporters to raise another $5 million to renovate it into a permanent home for far-left organizing in the U.S.

The fundraising drive arrives as lawmakers and federal officials probe Singham's network for what they call a foreign-aligned influence operation that promotes Chinese Communist Party narratives in the U.S. Scrutiny of China's influence has grown recently, highlighted by a California mayor's resignation after agreeing to plead guilty to acting as an illegal agent of the People's Republic of China.

The People's Forum, a key part of the Singham network, acts as a hub for more than 200 organizations. It has coordinated left-wing protests across the U.S. since 2017.

The group posted on X Friday that it urgently seeks $2 million from individual donors by December 2026, its first major target in a broader $5 million campaign launched in September.

Property records show the nonprofit purchased a three-story building at 137 W. 14th Street in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood for $5.15 million in December 2024. Sources say it will serve as the new headquarters. The records do not detail financing.

Congress is investigating the Singham-tied network as a foreign-aligned influence operation. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., said the nonprofit's funding raises significant concerns about foreign influence or control.

A Fox News Digital investigation found Singham funneled $285 million into the network of nonprofits since 2017. Justice, State and Treasury officials are examining financial activity, including $22.5 million directed to the People's Forum.

Since 2017, the network has led protests nationwide. Groups like the Party for Socialism and Liberation, ANSWER Coalition, CodePink and BreakThrough News have worked with the People's Forum on demonstrations and messaging.

The People's Forum claims it has published over 25 revolutionary texts and organized over 6,000 events. Its website says a generous donor funded its 2017 start, but new cash is now essential. Our initial donation is running out, the group wrote in a September appeal, facing a critical new stage.

The narrow mixed-use property stood vacant during a Tuesday visit. The former curtains and shades storefront had black paint, removed signage, tarp-covered windows, brown paper on doors and a tan facade with a metal fire escape. Records list a 2,580-square-foot lot, about 25 feet wide by 96 feet deep.

We need your help to make this urgent project come to reality, the group wrote Friday, sharing images of interior disrepair like exposed wires and structural damage.

The group cited the need to replace leased space with a permanent base safe from landlords or political attacks. The building last sold for $4.3 million in 2022. City records note active violations on elevators and the boiler, with $20,000 in outstanding penalties.

The condition of disrepair in this building will take millions of dollars to renovate, the group said Friday. It has raised about $570,000 so far.

The People's Forum operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit eligible for tax-deductible donations. David Chung, its organizing director, signed a property ownership certification in October 2025. Born in South Korea and raised in New York City, Chung has directed protests, calling supporters comrades and decrying U.S. imperialist brutality while chanting Free Palestine. The group captioned related video as showing Gaza genocide.

The group says it has trained over 40,000 people in political education.

In a fundraising video, executive director Manolo De Los Santos said the 200 organizations are united in the struggle for racial, gender, climate and economic justice. The new building will play a vital role, he added. Your contribution isn't just a donation, it's an investment in our collective future of freedom. It's a direct act of resistance. It's how we protect spaces that allow us to organize and to win.

De Los Santos was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in The Bronx. He described the People's Forum as a hub for learning and organizing where we strategize and build solidarity to fight back.

The People's Forum, De Los Santos and Chung did not respond to requests for comment.