Eileen Li Wang pleaded guilty Friday in downtown Los Angeles federal court to acting as an agent of the Chinese government without notifying U.S. authorities. The 56-year-old former mayor of Arcadia faces up to 10 years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and a $100 special assessment fee. Wang entered the plea in English despite a Mandarin interpreter being available and waived her right to a grand jury indictment and jury trial.
U.S. District Judge Wesley Hsu questioned Wang extensively under oath about her understanding of the proceedings and the rights she was giving up. Prosecutors read aloud the factual basis for the charge after defense attorneys tried to waive that step. When asked how she pleaded, Wang responded: "Yes, guilty."
Federal prosecutors say Wang acted at the direction and control of Chinese government officials between late 2020 and 2022. She coordinated with individuals in the United States to distribute pro-Beijing messaging without registering with the U.S. attorney general.
Wang worked alongside Yaoning "Mike" Sun, a convicted Chinese agent now serving a four-year federal prison sentence. Together they operated a website that posed as a local Chinese-American news outlet but functioned as a propaganda arm for the Chinese Communist Party. The site published content supplied directly by Chinese government officials.
In one exchange, a Chinese government official sent Wang a pre-written article denying allegations of forced labor and genocide in China's Xinjiang region. Wang posted the article online within minutes and sent the official a link to the published piece. The official responded: "So fast, thank you everyone."
In another instance, Wang made edits to content at Beijing's request and later responded: "Thank you leader." She also communicated with convicted Chinese operative John Chen, who has ties to China's intelligence apparatus and connections to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Wang asked Chen to distribute messaging and wrote: "This is what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wants to send."
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said individuals elected to public office in the United States should act only for the people they represent. He called it deeply concerning that someone who previously received and executed directives from PRC government officials held a position of public trust. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli described the case as part of an ongoing effort to counter Chinese influence operations.
Essayli said individuals in the country who covertly do the bidding of foreign governments undermine democracy. He called Wang's plea agreement the latest success in defending the homeland against China's efforts to corrupt institutions. FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky said Wang's conduct should serve as a warning to others who seek to influence American politics on behalf of foreign governments.
"By her own admission, Eileen Wang secretly served the interests of the Chinese government," Rozhavsky said. "Let this serve as a clear warning individuals who act on behalf of foreign governments to influence our democracy will be identified, investigated, and brought to justice."
Wang stepped down as mayor of Arcadia after federal charges were announced in April. City officials maintain the alleged conduct ended before she took office. An internal review found no city finances, staff or decision-making processes were involved.
Arcadia, located 13 miles northeast of Los Angeles, has about 53,000 residents and is majority Asian with a high concentration of Chinese residents. The city previously stated that allegations a foreign government sought to exert influence over a local elected official are deeply troubling. Officials said they take such claims seriously.
Wang appeared in court wearing a navy suit with gold buttons and was accompanied by her attorneys. She was released on bond pending sentencing. The judge scheduled sentencing for Oct. 6, 2026, at 9 a.m. local time, when Wang will have an opportunity to address the court before her sentence is imposed.
Prosecutors described the actions as a brazen effort to spread Beijing-backed propaganda inside the United States. Wang's admission adds to documented examples of foreign influence reaching local levels of American government. Wang's guilty plea resolves the single count charged against her without a trial.
Eileen Li Wang pleaded guilty Friday in downtown Los Angeles federal court to acting as an agent of the Chinese government without notifying U.S. authorities. The 56-year-old former mayor of Arcadia faces up to 10 years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and a $100 special assessment fee. Wang entered the plea in English despite a Mandarin interpreter being available and waived her right to a grand jury indictment and jury trial.
U.S. District Judge Wesley Hsu questioned Wang extensively under oath about her understanding of the proceedings and the rights she was giving up. Prosecutors read aloud the factual basis for the charge after defense attorneys tried to waive that step. When asked how she pleaded, Wang responded: "Yes, guilty."
Federal prosecutors say Wang acted at the direction and control of Chinese government officials between late 2020 and 2022. She coordinated with individuals in the United States to distribute pro-Beijing messaging without registering with the U.S. attorney general. The conduct occurred before Wang was elected to the Arcadia City Council in November 2022 and became mayor through the city's rotating system.
Wang worked alongside Yaoning "Mike" Sun, a convicted Chinese agent now serving a four-year federal prison sentence. Together they operated a website that posed as a local Chinese-American news outlet but functioned as a propaganda arm for the Chinese Communist Party. The site published content supplied directly by Chinese government officials.
In one exchange, a Chinese government official sent Wang a pre-written article denying allegations of forced labor and genocide in China's Xinjiang region. Wang posted the article online within minutes and sent the official a link to the published piece. The official responded: "So fast, thank you everyone."
In another instance, Wang made edits to content at Beijing's request and later responded: "Thank you leader." She also communicated with convicted Chinese operative John Chen, who has ties to China's intelligence apparatus and connections to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Wang asked Chen to distribute messaging and wrote: "This is what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wants to send."
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said individuals elected to public office in the United States should act only for the people they represent. He called it deeply concerning that someone who previously received and executed directives from PRC government officials held a position of public trust. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli described the case as part of an ongoing effort to counter Chinese influence operations.
Essayli said individuals in the country who covertly do the bidding of foreign governments undermine democracy. He called Wang's plea agreement the latest success in defending the homeland against China's efforts to corrupt institutions. FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky said Wang's conduct should serve as a warning to others who seek to influence American politics on behalf of foreign governments.
"By her own admission, Eileen Wang secretly served the interests of the Chinese government," Rozhavsky said. "Let this serve as a clear warning individuals who act on behalf of foreign governments to influence our democracy will be identified, investigated, and brought to justice."
Wang stepped down as mayor of Arcadia earlier this month after federal charges were announced in April. City officials maintain the alleged conduct ended before she took office. An internal review found no city finances, staff or decision-making processes were involved.
Arcadia, located 13 miles northeast of Los Angeles, has about 53,000 residents and is majority Asian with a high concentration of Chinese residents. The city previously stated that allegations a foreign government sought to exert influence over a local elected official are deeply troubling. Officials said they take such claims seriously.
Wang appeared in court wearing a navy suit with gold buttons and was accompanied by her attorneys. She was released on bond pending sentencing. The judge scheduled sentencing for Oct. 6, 2026, at 9 a.m. local time, when Wang will have an opportunity to address the court before her sentence is imposed.
The case highlights federal concerns about Chinese government efforts to influence American institutions and public discourse through covert operations. Prosecutors described the actions as a brazen effort to spread Beijing-backed propaganda inside the United States. Wang's admission adds to documented examples of foreign influence reaching local levels of American government.
Federal authorities continue to pursue similar cases involving covert foreign agents. The maximum penalties outlined in court underscore the seriousness with which the Justice Department views these violations. Wang's guilty plea resolves the single count charged against her without a trial.
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For example, Arcadia has a population of about 53,000 residents and is described as majority Asian with a high concentration of Chinese residents.