The former mayor of a California city has resigned after admitting to acting as an illegal foreign agent for China in a federal plea deal unsealed on Monday.
Eileen Wang, the former mayor of Arcadia in Los Angeles County, admitted working with the People’s Republic of China to spread propaganda through a fake news website operating in the United States between 2020 and 2022.
She was elected to the Arcadia City Council in November 2022.
According to court documents, Wang, 58, worked with her former fiancé, Yaoning “Mike” Sun, on a website called “U.S. News Center,” which claimed to be a news platform for Chinese Americans.
However, prosecutors said the pair were actually carrying out directives from Beijing through the site.
Wang and Sun allegedly “executed directives” from the Chinese government by publishing propaganda aimed at promoting China, while also sending screenshots and audience statistics back to Chinese officials, according to the plea agreement.
In one instance, Wang’s handler instructed her to publish pre-written articles, including an essay by a Chinese official that had appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
“There is no genocide in Xinjiang; there is no such thing as ‘forced labour’ in any production activity, including cotton production. Spreading such rumour is to defame China, destroy Xinjiang’s safety and stability,” the official reportedly wrote, according to the plea deal.
Wang complied, and her handler replied, “So fast, thank you everyone.”
In another exchange, Wang’s Chinese contact praised the number of views generated by a propaganda article, to which she reportedly responded, “Thank you leader.”
Wang pleaded guilty to the federal charge during her arraignment in downtown Los Angeles on Monday. She faces up to 10 years in prison.
Los Angeles’ top federal prosecutor, Bill Essayli, said the case highlights ongoing efforts by China to influence US politics and public opinion.
“Ms Wang is just the latest to act as an agent for the PRC and it should terrify Americans that she was able to rise to the highest levels of local office in her city,” Essayli said.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Wang admitted she acted under the direction and control of Chinese officials to promote propaganda in the United States.
Federal prosecutors charged Sun in 2024 with conspiracy and acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government.
Wang said her relationship with Sun ended that same year. He had also served as campaign manager for her City Council campaign.
In 2025, Wang attempted to distance herself from Sun, saying she was “not responsible for the action of others” and would not resign from her council position.
Sun was sentenced in February to four years in federal prison for acting as a covert agent of the PRC.
“For years, Sun received and executed taskings from Chinese government officials, distorted our public discourse by disseminating Chinese propaganda, and surveilled groups in the United States that China viewed as threatening,” said Assistant Attorney-General for National Security John A. Eisenberg.
Prosecutors said Sun and his Chinese handlers hoped to turn Wang into a rising political figure who could eventually help advance Beijing’s interests in California.
