In a bizarre case of political misconduct, the mayor of Arcadia, California, has reportedly agreed to plead guilty to acting as a secret agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), according to federal prosecutors in Los Angeles.
Federal prosecutors allege she promoted pro-Beijing messaging in the United States before entering politics.
She was an educator before becoming mayor of Arcadia, California. Wang served from February 3 to May 11, 2026. Although she had voted Republican in the past, she endorsed Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the 2024 campaign before switching parties in 2022.
According to ABC7, Wang resigned after admitting last month that she worked under Chinese officials’ direction to disseminate pro-China messaging through a website called U.S. News Center, which presented itself as a local Chinese American media outlet.
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Federal law requires people acting on behalf of foreign governments to report such activity to the Attorney General. Prosecutors say Wang did not do this.
The U.S. Department of Justice stated the mother of two will plead guilty to one felony count of acting as an unregistered foreign agent. She is reportedly facing 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 fine, though a federal judge will determine sentencing.
In Eileen Wang’s plea agreement, she admitted that she acted “at the direction and control” of Chinese government officials between 2020 and 2022.
During that period, the former mayor allegedly worked with individuals nationwide to promote pro-Beijing propaganda without registering with the Attorney General.
City officials said the illegal activities occurred before Wang joined the Arcadia City Council on December 6, 2022. She represented the 3rd district on the council. They consequently clarified that the allegations relate solely to Wang’s personal conduct and have not affected city operations.
“Individuals in our country who covertly do the bidding of foreign governments undermine our democracy,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California said in a statement after the news made it to the headlines.
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“This plea agreement is the latest success in our determination to defend the homeland against China’s efforts to corrupt our institutions,” Essayli added.
The plea also revealed that Wang allegedly worked closely with her campaign manager and ex-fiancé Yaoning “Mike” Sun. Sun is a convicted Chinese agent. He is currently serving a four-year federal prison sentence and ran the U.S. News Center website.
The site allegedly was serving as a propaganda platform for the Chinese Communist Party, alleging that it published content supplied directly by Chinese government officials.
In one instance, an official reportedly sent Wang a pre-written article on WeChat. It is a messaging app similar to WhatsApp. The article denied allegations of forced labor and genocide in Xinjiang. She reportedly posted the article online and then shared the link back with the official. The official said, “So fast, thank you, everyone.”
In another instance, prosecutors allege Wang edited material at Beijing’s request and later boasted that the content had received more than 15,000 views. According to court documents, Wang replied, “Thank you, leader.”
Similarly, Eileen Wang consequently spoke with convicted Chinese operative John Chen, who prosecutors described as connected to China’s intelligence network and linked to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
🚨 Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang in California has been charged with acting as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China in the United States.
Mayor Wang admitted to acting as a foreign agent from at least 2020 through 2022 – promoting PRC propaganda in the U.S. and acting…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) May 11, 2026
In one particular conversation, Wang allegedly asked Chen to distribute official messaging, writing, “This is what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wants to send.”
Consequently, Wang’s attorney, Brian Sun, tried to defend her case and claimed that the determination of her personal commitments was not based on her conduct in office. He stated that Wang believed she was working with a fiancé who misled her and influenced her role with the website.
“She apologizes and is sorry for the mistakes she has made in her personal life,” Sun said. “Her love and devotion for the Arcadia community have not changed and did not waver. She asks for the community’s understanding and continued support.”
