LOS ANGELES
Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang has been federally charged with allegedly acting as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China after prosecutors alleged she secretly promoted Chinese government propaganda in the United States, officials announced Monday.
Wang, 58, of Arcadia, agreed to plead guilty to one felony count of acting as an unregistered foreign agent, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Quick Facts
- Defendant: Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang
- Charge: Acting as an illegal foreign agent for China
- Potential Sentence: Up to 10 years in federal prison
- Allegations: Promoting pro-China propaganda directed by PRC officials
- Platform Used: U.S. News Center website
- Investigating Agency: FBI
Federal prosecutors said Wang worked with Yaoning “Mike” Sun of Chino Hills between 2020 and 2022 to advance the interests of the Chinese government inside the United States.
According to court documents, Wang and Sun operated a website called U.S. News Center that appeared to serve the Chinese American community but allegedly published articles at the direction of Chinese government officials.
Prosecutors said Wang used the encrypted messaging app WeChat to receive pre-written articles from PRC officials and quickly reposted them online. One article denied allegations of genocide and forced labor in China’s Xinjiang region.
Authorities said Wang later edited and reposted additional propaganda articles at the request of PRC officials and provided screenshots showing article traffic numbers.
Key Allegations
- Chinese propaganda allegedly posted on Wang’s website
- WeChat communications linked Wang to PRC officials
- Wang allegedly failed to register with the U.S. Attorney General as a foreign agent
- Prosecutors said the website did not disclose Chinese government involvement
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Federal officials sharply criticized the conduct described in the case.
The Justice Department also alleged Wang communicated with John Chen, described in court records as a high-level figure connected to China’s intelligence apparatus. Chen previously pleaded guilty in a separate federal case involving acting as an illegal agent of China.
Wang admitted she never notified the U.S. Attorney General that she was acting on behalf of the PRC while operating in the United States, according to her plea agreement.
The FBI investigated the case.