Eileen Wang, the former mayor of Arcadia, California, has admitted in a federal plea agreement to working on behalf of the People’s Republic of China as part of a propaganda operation targeting audiences in the United States.
The unsealed plea agreement states that Wang acknowledged cooperating with Chinese officials between 2020 and 2022 through a website called “US News Center,” which presented itself as a news outlet for Chinese Americans. According to court documents, Wang worked alongside her former fiancé, Yaoning “Mike” Sun, to publish content directed by Chinese government officials. Prosecutors allege the pair posted articles promoting Chinese government narratives and then reported engagement metrics back to their handlers, including screenshots showing readership numbers.
One directive cited in the plea agreement involved publishing material denying accusations of genocide and forced labor in China’s Xinjiang region. A Chinese government contact wrote: “There is no genocide in Xinjiang; there is no such thing as ‘forced labor’ in any production activity, including cotton production.” After the article was published, the individual reportedly responded: “So fast, thank you everyone.”
In another exchange, Wang allegedly replied: “Thank you leader” after receiving praise for the website’s page views.
Wang was elected to the Arcadia City Council in November 2022, after the conduct described in the plea agreement had already occurred. Federal prosecutors stated the charges carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. A magistrate judge ordered Wang released on a $25,000 bond and required her to surrender passports and travel documents. Prosecutors also requested restrictions on her communications with Chinese government representatives.
Wang’s attorneys stated she “apologizes and is sorry for the mistakes she has made in her personal life.” They added that “her love and devotion for the Arcadia community have not changed and did not waver,” emphasizing the case did not involve her conduct as an elected official.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli described the case as reflecting concerns about foreign influence operations inside the United States: “Individuals in our country who covertly do the bidding of foreign governments undermine our democracy.” He called the plea agreement “the latest success in our determination to defend the homeland against China’s efforts to corrupt our institutions.”
The Arcadia city government announced Wang will vacate her position as officials prepare to appoint a replacement mayor. City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto described the allegations as “deeply troubling” and stated local officials take the matter seriously.
Sun, who previously managed Wang’s city council campaign, was sentenced earlier this year to four years in federal prison after pleading guilty to acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government. Prosecutors alleged Chinese government contacts cultivated Wang politically with the goal of advancing Beijing’s interests through California leadership roles.
