Arcadia’s former Mayor, Eileen Wang, has pleaded guilty to being an illegal agent of China in the US. Wang, aged 56, faced charges in April related to promoting Chinese propaganda in the US from 2020 to 2022. She resigned as Mayor in April after the plea agreement was revealed.
Wang, who was elected to the City Council in 2022 and later became Mayor, was reported to have engaged in activities on behalf of the Chinese government before assuming office. She could potentially face up to 10 years in prison when sentenced in October. Wang and her former fiance, Yaoning “Mike” Sun, operated a website called US News Center from late 2020 to 2022, catering to Chinese Americans.
Sun, who previously pleaded guilty to similar charges, was sentenced to four years in prison earlier this year. Wang’s involvement included sharing articles and data with Chinese authorities as per the plea agreement. Wang’s lawyers emphasized that her actions should not be misconstrued as espionage, despite pleading guilty to the federal charge.
American journalist Thomas Weir Pauken II, also known as “Tom McGregor,” has been charged with acting as an unregistered agent for China in the US. Pauken allegedly worked under the direction of individuals associated with China’s Ministry of State Security, aiming to establish sources in the US, including within the Trump administration. The case details Pauken’s involvement in a conspiracy to obtain classified information for China.
