California mayor admits working as Chinese agent, faces up to 10 years in prison
Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang resigned after pleading guilty to secretly working on behalf of the Chinese government and spreading pro-Beijing propaganda in the United States.
Eileen Wang, the mayor of Arcadia city in California, has admitted to working as an illegal agent for China and resigned from her position following revelations by the US Department of Justice.
According to American authorities, the 58-year-old leader pleaded guilty to secretly operating on behalf of the Chinese government between 2020 and 2022. She is expected to be formally convicted in a federal court in Los Angeles in the coming weeks and could face a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
Wang was elected to the Arcadia City Council in November 2022 and later became mayor through the council’s rotational leadership system.
US investigators alleged that Wang worked alongside her former fiancé, Yaoning “Mike” Sun, to spread pro-China propaganda in the United States under the direction of officials linked to Beijing. Sun had already pleaded guilty in the same case last year and was sentenced to four years in prison.
As part of the investigation, prosecutors said Wang and Sun operated a website called “US News Center,” which claimed to serve the local Chinese-American community. However, authorities alleged that the platform was actually used to promote the interests of the Chinese government and publish content supporting the People’s Republic of China.
In her plea agreement, Wang admitted that she failed to inform the US Attorney General that she was acting on behalf of a foreign government. She also acknowledged that the website did not disclose that certain content was published under the direction of Chinese officials.
American intelligence and law enforcement agencies described the case as a serious threat to national security and democratic institutions.
FBI Counterintelligence officials stated that Wang secretly advanced Chinese interests in exchange for personal benefits, while federal prosecutors said the case reflects ongoing efforts by China to influence and infiltrate American institutions.
Following Wang’s resignation, the Arcadia City Council is now expected to appoint a new mayor.
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