ARCADA Mayor Caught as China’s Secret Agent

United States flag merged with China flag.

California’s Arcadia mayor resigns in disgrace after admitting she secretly acted as an agent for Communist China, spreading Beijing’s propaganda right under Americans’ noses.

Story Highlights

Eileen Wang, 58, agrees to plead guilty to felony charge of acting as an illegal agent for the People’s Republic of China (PRC), facing up to 10 years in federal prison.
Wang promoted PRC propaganda via the U.S. News Center website from late 2020 to 2022, at the direction of Chinese officials, without U.S. government notification.
She resigned as mayor on May 11, 2026, hours after Department of Justice (DOJ) unsealed her plea agreement; activities predated her 2022 City Council election.[1]
Wang coordinated with Yaoning “Mike” Sun, her associate already serving four years for the same crime, highlighting PRC infiltration risks in local politics.
FBI warns this case exposes foreign efforts to influence U.S. democracy through diaspora communities and unwitting local leaders.

DOJ Charges and Plea Details

The Department of Justice charged Eileen Wang on May 11, 2026, with one count of acting in the United States as an illegal agent of a foreign government. Wang, mayor of Arcadia, California, entered a plea agreement admitting the felony.[2] The charge carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence. She appeared in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles that afternoon. A judge set conditions including a $25,000 bond and surrender of passports.[1] Prosecutors barred her from contacting Chinese government officials.

Wang’s plea acknowledges she worked from late 2020 through 2022 under PRC officials’ direction. She and Yaoning “Mike” Sun, 65, of Chino Hills, promoted PRC interests via propaganda. Sun pleaded guilty in October 2025 and serves a four-year sentence for acting as an illegal PRC agent. Their efforts targeted Southern California’s Chinese American community without disclosing foreign control.[1]

Propaganda Operations Exposed

Wang operated the U.S. News Center, a website posing as a news source for Southern California’s Chinese American community. She posted PRC-directed content, including articles denying Uyghur persecution in Xinjiang.[1] In one August 2021 exchange, Wang received directives from a PRC official and reported view counts back. Federal law requires agents of foreign governments to notify the U.S. Attorney General before acting; Wang failed to do so.

All documented activities occurred before Wang’s November 2022 election to Arcadia’s City Council, from which the five-member body selected her as mayor on a rotating basis. Arcadia officials confirmed no city resources, finances, staff, or policy decisions were involved.[1] Wang resigned hours after the plea unsealing, ending her tenure amid the scandal.[3]

Broader PRC Influence Threats

FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the Counterintelligence and Espionage Division stated, “By her own admission, Eileen Wang secretly served the interests of the Chinese government.” He warned that individuals acting for foreign governments to influence U.S. democracy face investigation and justice. This case fits PRC “united front” tactics co-opting overseas Chinese communities via media and politics.

WATCH: Former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang resigned Monday after federal prosecutors accused her of secretly acting as an agent for the Chinese government.@FOXLA confronted Wang outside her home after the resignation. pic.twitter.com/fOSl71Vucs

— Matthew Seedorff (@MattSeedorff) May 12, 2026

Under President Trump’s second term, federal agencies intensify scrutiny of foreign agents eroding American sovereignty. Conservative voters long frustrated by unchecked immigration and globalist influences see this as validation for stronger borders and counterintelligence. Local leaders must prioritize U.S. interests over hidden foreign agendas that undermine constitutional governance and community trust.