Eileen Wang, the former mayor of Arcadia, California, has resigned after admitting to acting as an illegal foreign agent of China in a federal plea deal unsealed on Monday. Wang, 58, served as mayor of the Los Angeles County city before stepping down following her guilty plea.
Plea Agreement Details
According to court documents, Wang worked with her former fiancé, Yaoning "Mike" Sun, to operate a website called "U.S. News Center," which purported to be a news source for Chinese Americans. However, the pair were actually executing directives from the Chinese government, posting propaganda to boost China's image and reporting back to their handlers with viewership statistics.
In one instance, Wang's handler ordered her to post a pre-written article, including an essay by a Chinese official that appeared in the Los Angeles Times. The essay denied allegations of genocide in Xinjiang and forced labor in cotton production, calling such claims rumors aimed at defaming China. Wang complied, and her handler praised her speed.
Another exchange showed Wang's boss commending her on page views for a propaganda piece, to which Wang replied, "Thank you leader."
Legal Consequences
Wang pleaded guilty to the federal charge at her arraignment in downtown Los Angeles on Monday. She faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. Her ex-lover, Sun, was sentenced in February to four years in federal prison for acting as a covert agent of the People's Republic of China.
Prosecutors stated that Sun and his Chinese bosses aimed to turn Wang into a political star to further China's goals in California. Wang was elected to the Arcadia City Council in November 2022 and later became mayor.
Prosecutor's Statement
Bill Essayli, the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, emphasized that this case highlights ongoing efforts by China to exert influence in the United States. "Ms. Wang is just the latest to act as an agent for the PRC, and it should terrify Americans that she was able to rise to the highest levels of local office in her city," Essayli said.
Wang had previously tried to distance herself from Sun, stating she was not responsible for the actions of others and refusing to resign from the City Council. However, the plea deal forced her to admit her role in the propaganda campaign.
