Eileen Wang, mayor of Arcadia in California, resigned after agreeing to plead guilty to acting as a foreign agent of China, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Prosecutors said Wang and an associate operated a website presenting itself as a news source for local Chinese communities, but in reality used to spread pro-Chinese propaganda between 2020 and 2022, including material that denied allegations concerning the persecution of Uyghurs in Xinjiang and was shared rapidly after contact with Chinese officials.
The Democrat mayor also communicated with Chinese officials and John Chen, a senior intelligence-linked figure previously convicted in the United States, and co-operated with Yaoning Mike Sun, who later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to prison for acting as an illegal foreign agent.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, individuals who secretly act on behalf of foreign governments undermine democratic institutions, while officials said the case forms part of broader efforts to counter alleged Chinese influence operations in the United States.
City officials in Arcadia said the allegations were deeply troubling but emphasized that no city finances, staff, or decision-making processes were involved, noting that the conduct described occurred before Wang was sworn into office in December 2022. The FBI continues to investigate the case and related figures including John Chen and Yaoning Mike Sun, who have already received prison sentences.
