The former mayor of Arcadia, Eileen Wang, confessed in court to acting under the direction of the Chinese government to promote propaganda in the United States from 2020 to 2022. Facing charges last month, Wang agreed to a plea deal admitting to these accusations. Although she was elected to the City Council in November 2022 and later served as mayor, federal authorities indicated her activities occurred prior to assuming office.
Wang, released on a $25,000 bond, entered her plea in a Los Angeles federal court. She is at risk of up to 10 years in prison during her sentencing on October 6. During the proceedings, Wang confirmed her guilt in response to the judge’s queries, acknowledging her plea might prevent her from future public office positions. A previous court order restricts her communication with any Chinese government representatives.
“Individuals in our country who covertly do the bidding of foreign governments undermine our democracy,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli stated, affirming the importance of this plea deal in defending against foreign influence.
From late 2020 to at least 2022, Wang collaborated with Yaoning “Mike” Sun, her ex-fiance, to operate the U.S. News Center—a website positioned as a Chinese American news outlet. Both followed directives from Chinese officials, according to her plea agreement. They shared article view counts and other data with those officials. Sun has likewise pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years in prison.
Wang’s plea agreement detailed her receiving specific content requests from Chinese government officials. For example, she promptly published an article on her website following a message on China’s stance regarding the Xinjiang issue in June 2021. The quick publication garnered affirmation from the official, as recorded in the filings.
Prosecutors indicated Wang altered content upon request and monitored the posts’ reach. In one instance, her post reached over 15,000 views, which she acknowledged with gratitude in August 2021 correspondence. Wang never disclosed her actions were under Chinese direction, as court documents reveal.
Arcadia’s City Council faced public outrage following the revelation of Wang’s plea agreement. Former mayor Tom Beck urged council members to take responsibility for Wang’s continued presence as mayor, especially after the FBI raided her home. Residents criticized council members David Fu, Paul Cheng, and Michael Cao, accusing them of shielding Wang and neglecting fellow Councilmember Sharon Kwan’s calls for an inquiry.
City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto clarified the council could not remove Wang without a conviction, asserting they were uninformed about the investigation. The council members did not address why they refrained from urging Wang’s resignation despite her ties to Sun’s criminal charges. Instead, they emphasized uniting the community amid concerns of potential racist backlash.
Cheng, now serving as mayor, stated that they would not succumb to fear or allow external parties to disrupt the city’s harmony.