Arcadia mayor charged with acting as agent of Chinese government
NBC Los Angeles • • general
Key Points:
- Former Arcadia mayor Eileen Wang is expected to plead guilty to charges of acting as an illegal agent of the People's Republic of China (PRC), according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
- Wang and co-conspirator Yaoning “Mike” Sun operated a website called "U.S. News Center" that spread pro-China propaganda directed by Chinese officials from 2020 to 2022.
- Wang resigned from the Arcadia City Council and mayoral position following the allegations and admitted to working for the Chinese government without notifying U.S. authorities as part of a plea deal.
- The DOJ highlighted concerns about Wang’s undisclosed relationship with the PRC while holding public office, noting instances where she quickly published content countering negative reports about China.
- Sun is already serving a four-year federal sentence after pleading guilty, and Wang faces up to 10 years in prison; Arcadia has a significant Asian population, with Chinese residents comprising a large portion.