Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang agreed to plead guilty to acting as an unregistered PRC agent, running a propaganda website under direct WeChat direction from PRC officials 2020-2022.
Key Takeaways
Wang and co-conspirator Yaoning “Mike” Sun operated US News Center, a fake local news site that posted PRC-directed content including Xinjiang denial articles.
Wang received pre-written articles via WeChat from PRC officials, posted them, and reported back view counts; one official responded “Thank you leader.”
Wang communicated with John Chen, a PRC intelligence figure who met personally with Xi Jinping, forwarding Ministry of Foreign Affairs content.
Sun already received a four-year sentence; Chen got 20 months in a related SDNY case; Wang faces up to 10 years.
Wang was elected to Arcadia City Council in November 2022, after the covert activity, without disclosing her PRC agent relationship.
