Eileen Wang resigns, will plead guilty to acting as Chinese agent
CNN • • general
Key Points:
- Eileen Wang, mayor of Arcadia, Southern California, has agreed to plead guilty to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government and has resigned from her position, officials announced.
- Wang was charged with promoting pro-China propaganda without notifying the U.S. government, violating laws on foreign agents, and her conduct ceased after taking office in December 2022.
- She and a colleague, Yaoning “Mike” Sun, operated a news website targeting the Chinese American community, posting content directed by Chinese officials, including denying reports of Uyghur persecution.
- Wang's attorneys stated she accepts responsibility for past mistakes, apologizes, and remains devoted to the Arcadia community; Sun is already serving a four-year sentence for similar charges.
- Arcadia, a city with a majority Asian population and many Chinese residents, is located near Los Angeles, where Wang was set to appear in federal court to enter her guilty plea.