Eileen Wang, the former mayor of Arcadia, pleaded guilty to a federal charge for acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government. The violation occurred prior to her election to the city council, involving covert promotion of Beijing’s interests through an online platform targeting Chinese Americans.
Wang resigned from her mayoral post and the city council following the announcement of felony charges earlier this month. She faces up to 10 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for October. Her plea agreement details how she and her then-fiancé operated the website U.S. News Center under instructions from Chinese officials, posting content favorable to China without required disclosure to U.S. authorities.
Among the activities cited, Wang published an article refuting claims by human rights groups about abuses against Uyghurs in China’s Xinjiang province. Directed via an encrypted message, the essay denied allegations of genocide and forced labor, describing such reports as false and destructive to China’s stability and development. Wang made revisions to the article over several months, following direct orders from Chinese government contacts, according to court documents.
Her lawyers emphasized that Wang has accepted responsibility for her actions, characterizing her illegal conduct as a personal mistake separate from her official duties. They noted that Wang had a relationship with Mike Sun, who guided her political campaign under Chinese government direction. Sun, who pled guilty last year to the same offense, is currently serving a prison sentence.
Arcadia city officials clarified that no city resources were involved in Wang’s activities, stressing that the misconduct ended upon her taking office in December 2022. The investigation focused solely on Wang’s private dealings prior to her elected role, according to the city manager.
The case was led by U.S. federal prosecutors addressing violations of foreign agent registration laws designed to ensure transparency when individuals promote the interests of foreign governments within the United States.