The US Department of Justice announced on May 11 that Eileen Wang, mayor of Arcadia, California, admitted in a plea agreement to collaborating with her former fiance Yaoning "Mike" Sun. They disseminated content favorable to China through the U.S. News Center website.
Wang and Sun allegedly operated the website from 2020 to 2022. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported that this content consisted of pre-written articles, which were sent to Wang and Sun within a WeChat group.
In an August 2021 conversation, an individual identified by the FBI as a "Chinese official" instructed Wang to edit an article. Following her revisions, the official messaged, "Very good." Wang responded, "Thank you, leader."
Prosecutors presented further evidence showing that Wang contacted John Chen, 71, in 2021. The FBI believes Chen is a high-ranking Chinese intelligence officer. Chen received a 20-month prison sentence in 2024 for similar charges.
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Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang. Photo: *AP*. |
China has not commented on these developments. Wang faces a 10-year prison sentence if convicted.
Wang was elected to the Arcadia City Council in 2022 and assumed her mayoral term in February 2026. Arcadia, a city with approximately 50,000 residents, has a predominantly Asian population and a high concentration of people of Chinese descent.
Sun, who worked on Wang's campaign staff, was sentenced to 4 years in prison earlier this year for similar allegations. Before her plea agreement, Wang had declined to comment on her former fiance's sentence.
Patrick Grandy, a senior FBI official in Los Angeles, expressed concern regarding an elected US official operating as an agent for China. Grandy stated, "The FBI is committed to pursuing suspects who are illegal agents for foreign governments."
This announcement coincides with US President Donald Trump's scheduled visit to China this week. Trump is expected to meet with Xi Jinping to discuss various issues, likely including security matters and relations between the two superpowers.
According to CBS News, AP, Hill
