Former Arcadia Mayor Pleads Guilty as Agent of China

The former mayor of Arcadia, Eileen Wang, 56, admitted to acting as an illegal agent for China. Court documents reveal Wang agreed to promote Chinese propaganda in the US between 2020 and 2022, leading to a guilty plea.

Wang’s journey to the city council began with her election in November 2022. She eventually became mayor, a role shared among council members. Her resignation followed the plea agreement’s unsealing. Arcadia officials and Wang’s attorneys clarified her actions, cited by federal authorities, occurred before her city office tenure.

Facing up to 10 years in prison, Wang attended a federal court session in Los Angeles, appearing in a black suit and responding primarily with “yes” and “no” answers. U.S. District Judge Wesley Hsu highlighted that the guilty plea might prevent her from future public office. Asked if she pleaded guilty because of guilt, she affirmed.

Legal restrictions now prohibit Wang from communicating with Chinese government entities, including consular officials in the US.

Individuals in our country who covertly do the bidding of foreign governments undermine our democracy, stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, acknowledging the plea as a win against China’s attempts to influence domestic institutions.

The plea agreement outlines Wang’s collaboration with Yaoning “Mike” Sun, her former fiancé. They operated a website called U.S. News Center, targeting Chinese Americans. Both executed publishing directives from Chinese officials and provided feedback about story reach.

Sun also pleaded guilty to related charges, receiving a four-year sentence. Wang’s plea agreement detailed her tasks, including amplifying China’s stance on controversial topics like the Xinjiang issue. Her communications with a Chinese official about an editorial on Uyghur treatment and cotton production exemplify specific directives she fulfilled.

The plea agreement mentions Wang sending proof of her work promptly to Chinese officials. For example, she provided evidence of posting an article with rapid turnaround, which a government official acknowledged with thanks.

Prosecutors highlighted Wang’s editing tasks for officials, further illustrating her role under Chinese directives. She expressed gratitude for compliments received for articles with significant outreach.

Court documents show Wang never disclosed the government’s influence on her content. Public furor peaked during a City Council meeting, with locals criticizing council members David Fu, Paul Cheng, and Michael Cao for not acting on Wang’s criminal investigation revelations.

Former Mayor Tom Beck suggested that her FBI raid should have prompted earlier intervention. Resident Steve Rhee voiced distrust, accusing council members of betraying the community.

City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto clarified that the council lacked the authority to remove Wang without a conviction, stressing their lack of awareness regarding the investigation.

At the meeting, council members focused on healing community divisions. Current Mayor Cheng emphasized resilience, calling for unity and opposing external attempts to destabilize the city.