Former Arcadia, California Mayor Resigns, Pleads Guilty to Acting as Chinese Agent
A former mayor of Arcadia, California, has resigned and pleaded guilty to federal felony charges of acting as an unregistered agent for the Chinese government. This case highlights increased US scrutiny of foreign influence operations.
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- 📰 Published: May 12, 2026 at 09:28
- 🔍 Collected: May 12, 2026 at 09:31 (3 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 12, 2026 at 10:16 (44 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Los Angeles, 11th, comprehensive foreign report) The US Department of Justice announced today that a woman who once served as the mayor of Arcadia, California, has been indicted for allegedly acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government. She has agreed to plead guilty to the federal felony charge.
According to a Department of Justice statement, Eileen Wang, 58, was the mayor of Arcadia. Arcadia is located north of Los Angeles and has a population of about 50,000.
The Arcadia City Council website shows that Eileen Wang resigned as mayor today.
In the United States, acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government can carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The Department of Justice pointed out that Eileen Wang and her accomplice, Chinese-American man Yaoning Sun, promoted pro-China rhetoric through the website "US News Center," which they operated and served the local Chinese community.
The statement said: "Eileen Wang and Yaoning Sun received and carried out instructions from (Chinese) government officials to publish (pro-China) content on the website."
Yaoning Sun pleaded guilty in 2025 to acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government and is currently serving a four-year prison sentence.
The Los Angeles Times reported in May last year that Yaoning Sun helped Eileen Wang get elected to the Arcadia City Council in 2022, and the two were once engaged.
Shortly before Yaoning Sun was sentenced to four years, Eileen Wang took office as Arcadia mayor in February this year. She denied the allegations to the Los Angeles Times last May and said she had broken off her engagement with Yaoning Sun.
US President Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing this week and meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Editor: Li Pei-shan) 1150512
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(Central News Agency, Los Angeles, 11th, comprehensive foreign report) The US Department of Justice announced today that a woman who once served as the mayor of Arcadia, California, has been indicted for allegedly acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government. She has agreed to plead guilty to the federal felony charge.
According to a Department of Justice statement, Eileen Wang, 58, was the mayor of Arcadia. Arcadia is located north of Los Angeles and has a population of about 50,000.
The Arcadia City Council website shows that Eileen Wang resigned as mayor today.
In the United States, acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government can carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The Department of Justice pointed out that Eileen Wang and her accomplice, Chinese-American man Yaoning Sun, promoted pro-China rhetoric through the website "US News Center," which they operated and served the local Chinese community.
The statement said: "Eileen Wang and Yaoning Sun received and carried out instructions from (Chinese) government officials to publish (pro-China) content on the website."
Yaoning Sun pleaded guilty in 2025 to acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government and is currently serving a four-year prison sentence.
The Los Angeles Times reported in May last year that Yaoning Sun helped Eileen Wang get elected to the Arcadia City Council in 2022, and the two were once engaged.
Shortly before Yaoning Sun was sentenced to four years, Eileen Wang took office as Arcadia mayor in February this year. She denied the allegations to the Los Angeles Times last May and said she had broken off her engagement with Yaoning Sun.
US President Trump is scheduled to visit Beijing this week and meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Editor: Li Pei-shan) 1150512
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download CNA's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.