Arcadia mayor to plead guilty to promoting Chinese propaganda, DOJ announces
ABC7 Los Angeles • • nation
Key Points:
- Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang has agreed to plead guilty to acting as an illegal foreign agent by promoting Chinese government propaganda, according to the U.S. Department of Justice; she resigned from her position on Monday.
- Investigators found that Wang, along with her former fiancé, operated a website targeting Chinese Americans that disseminated pro-China content directed and approved by officials from the People's Republic of China (PRC).
- Wang faces up to ten years in prison and will formally plead guilty in the coming weeks; her former fiancé was previously sentenced to four years for similar charges.
- City officials emphasized that Wang's actions occurred before she took office and assured there was no impact on Arcadia's governance or residents, while some councilmembers had previously raised concerns about her conduct.
- The case highlights ongoing U.S. efforts to counter covert foreign influence, with authorities warning that individuals acting on behalf of foreign governments to undermine democracy will be investigated and prosecuted.