Arcadia Mayor Resigns, Agrees To Plead Guilty As China Agent

Eileen Wang, the mayor of Arcadia, resigned and agreed to plead guilty to one count of acting in the United States as an illegal agent of a foreign government, officials said Monday.

Prosecutors say Wang admitted in a plea agreement that she acted at the direction of People’s Republic of China officials from late 2020 through 2022 by posting pro-PRC content on a website without notifying the U.S. attorney general.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI said Wang and Yaoning 'Mike' Sun operated the U.S. News Center to publish content directed by Chinese government officials and described the case as part of efforts to defend against foreign interference.

Wang was released on a $25,000 bond and faces a charge that carries a maximum 10-year prison term, and prosecutors tied her conduct to Sun, who is serving a four-year sentence, and to John Chen, who was sentenced to 20 months.

She is expected to formally enter a guilty plea in the coming weeks, and Arcadia’s City Council will select a new mayor at its next meeting, city officials said.