WASHINGTON, D.C., May 12 — The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced Monday that Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang has been charged in federal court with acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government.
According to the FBI, Wang and Yaoning “Mike” Sun allegedly worked under the direction and control of Chinese government officials between late 2020 and 2022. Authorities said the pair coordinated with individuals in the United States to advance Beijing’s interests through propaganda efforts targeting the Chinese American community.
The FBI stated that Wang and Sun promoted pro-China content through US News Center, a website presented as a local news platform for Chinese Americans. Investigators alleged that the pair received directives from officials of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and published content in line with those instructions.
Wang, 58, has agreed to plead guilty to the felony charge, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, Wang is expected to make her initial appearance in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles and formally enter her guilty plea in the coming weeks.
Wang was elected to the Arcadia City Council in November 2022. The city’s mayoral role is selected on a rotating basis among the five council members.
Federal prosecutors cited a June 2021 incident in which a PRC official allegedly contacted Wang and others through the encrypted messaging platform WeChat and distributed pre-written news articles for publication.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg described the allegations as “deeply concerning,” noting that a public official allegedly acted at the direction of a foreign government.
“Individuals in our country who covertly do the bidding of foreign governments undermine our democracy,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “This plea agreement is the latest success in our determination to defend the homeland against China’s efforts to corrupt our institutions.”
FBI Counterintelligence and Espionage Division Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky said the case should serve as a warning that individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments to influence American institutions will face prosecution.
FBI Director Kash Patel also commented on the case in a post on X, saying federal agencies remain committed to identifying and dismantling foreign influence operations within U.S. institutions.
According to the official website of the City of Arcadia, Wang has resigned from the Arcadia City Council, vacating her position as mayor. (ANI)
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