Small-Town U.S. Mayor Who Ran 'Pro-China News Site' Caught by FBI

Engaged in Pro-China Propaganda as a Public Official
Violated U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act
Faces Up to 10 Years in Prison... Had an Accomplice

The mayor of Arcadia, a small city in California, United States, admitted to illegally acting on behalf of the Chinese government and has resigned. This is a felony charge that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

According to AP and Bloomberg News on May 11 (local time), Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang admitted to violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government. Under U.S. law, citizens may work for foreign governments if they register in advance, but public officials are an exception to this rule.

The FBI believes that from 2020 to 2022, Wang engaged in pro-China propaganda activities at the direction of Chinese government officials. She operated a news site targeting Chinese Americans, disseminated related news, and used Chinese social media platforms such as WeChat to receive instructions from the Chinese government and spread their viewpoints. Some of her posts also included content denying allegations of forced labor and genocide in China's Xinjiang Uyghur region.

She reportedly had an accomplice. According to investigators, Wang worked alongside Yao Ning (Mike) Sun, who is currently serving a prison sentence for the same charges. Sun also served as the treasurer for Wang's election campaign. He was sentenced to four years in prison.

Arcadia, where she served as mayor, is a wealthy suburban city located 24 kilometers northeast of downtown Los Angeles (LA). The area is known for its high percentage of residents of Chinese descent. Wang was elected to the city council in 2022, and the mayoral position has been rotated among the council members.

Wang has already resigned as mayor. The city announced on its website that “With Wang’s resignation as of the 11th, the mayoral position is now vacant,” and added, “At the next council meeting, the city council will elect a new mayor and vice mayor from among the remaining council members.” The city also stated, “We plan to discuss how to represent Arcadia’s District 3 until the November election.”

The FBI stated, “Those who seek to exert influence on the U.S. democratic system on behalf of foreign governments will be exposed and brought to justice.”