Eileen Wang, the former mayor of a southern California city, abruptly resigned from her position on Monday after the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) announced she had been formally charged with acting as an illegal foreign agent on behalf of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Wang, 58, has agreed to plead guilty to the felony count, a decision that could lead to a substantial sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli emphasized the gravity of such actions, stating, “Individuals in our country who covertly do the bidding of foreign governments undermine our democracy.” He further highlighted the DoJ's commitment, noting that “This plea agreement is the latest success in our determination to defend the homeland against China’s efforts to corrupt our institutions.”

According to her plea agreement, Wang and her co-conspirator, Yaoning “Mike” Sun, 65, of Chino Hills, actively collaborated with the PRC government to advance its interests. Their method involved disseminating pro-PRC propaganda through a website they managed, named “US News Center.” This website misleadingly presented itself as a legitimate news source catering to the local Chinese American community.

Wang, who was elected to the city council in November 2022, announced her immediate resignation as mayor just hours after her plea deal was unsealed. Officials in Arcadia, a Los Angeles County city with approximately 54,000 residents, clarified to the Los Angeles Times that the conduct described by federal authorities transpired before Wang assumed her elected office. Dominic Lazzaretto, Arcadia’s city manager, issued a statement on the city’s website addressing the situation.

Lazzaretto conveyed the city’s deep concern, stating, “The allegations at the center of this case, that a foreign government sought to exert influence over a local elected official, are deeply troubling. We take them seriously.” He assured the public that the investigation pertains solely to “individual conduct” and that the activities in question “ceased after Ms Wang was sworn into office in December 2022.” An internal review conducted by the city confirmed that “no City finances, staff, or decision-making processes were involved.” Lazzaretto also indicated that the city council would proceed to select a new mayor and mayor pro tem from its remaining members at their upcoming meeting.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John A. Eisenberg, underscored the fundamental principle that “Individuals elected to public office in the United States should act only for the people of the United States that they represent.” He expressed profound concern that “someone who previously received and executed directives from PRC government officials is now in a position of public trust at all, but particularly so because that relationship with that foreign government had never been disclosed.”

Specific instances of Wang’s alleged actions cited by the DoJ reveal the direct nature of her foreign agency. In June 2021, a PRC official reportedly contacted Wang and others via an encrypted WeChat conversation, providing pre-written news articles. These articles included an essay intended for the Los Angeles Times, drafted by PRC officials, which asserted: “China’s Stance on the Xinjiang Issue – There is no genocide in Xinjiang; there is no such thing as ‘forced labor’ in any production activity, including cotton production. Spreading such rumor to do defame China, destroy Xinjiang’s safety and stability, weaken local economy, suppress China’s development[.]” Within minutes of receiving this, Wang posted the article to the US News Center and provided a link back to the PRC official, who responded, “So fast, thank you everyone.”

In another documented instance in November 2021, Wang communicated with John Chen, identified by the DoJ as a high-level member of PRC intelligence with a direct connection to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Wang requested Chen to post a “news” article from her website, explicitly stating, “This is what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wants to send.”

The legal proceedings against Wang’s co-conspirators have also concluded. John Chen, residing in Chino, California, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to charges of acting as an illegal agent of China and conspiracy to bribe a public official. He was subsequently sentenced to 20 months in federal prison. Yaoning “Mike” Sun was arrested in December 2024 and pleaded guilty to acting as an illegal agent of a foreign country, receiving a sentence of four years in federal prison in February.