Arcadia, Calif., Mayor Resigns And Agrees To Plead Guilty As Illegal Agent For China
Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang resigned and agreed to plead guilty to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government on Monday, May 11, 2026, prosecutors said in Los Angeles.[1]
Wang appeared in federal court in downtown Los Angeles and is expected to formally enter a guilty plea in the coming weeks.[2] Prosecutors said her plea agreement says she ran a purported news site called the U.S. News Center from late 2020 through at least the end of 2022.[1] They said the site published pro-China content under the direction of Chinese officials.[1] The filings say she coordinated the effort with Southern California resident Yaoning "Mike" Sun, who was treasurer of her campaign and was sentenced in February 2026 to four years in prison.[1]
In June 2021, a Chinese government official sent Wang a Los Angeles Times letter from the PRC consul general denying genocide and forced labor in Xinjiang.[2] Wang reposted that link to the U.S. News Center within minutes.[2] Court filings show Wang also communicated with John Chen, who pleaded guilty to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government and was sentenced to 20 months in prison.[1]
Arcadia City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto said no city funds or staff were involved and that the conduct stopped after Wang was sworn in as mayor in December 2022.[2] Her lawyers said she "recognizes the seriousness of the charge," accepts responsibility for "past personal mistakes," apologized and remains devoted to the Arcadia community.[2] First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said the case shows individuals covertly doing the bidding of foreign governments and is part of efforts to counter China's attempts to influence U.S. institutions.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Monday, May 11, 2026, Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang resigned the same day prosecutors announced the charge and unsealed her plea agreement; she appeared in federal court in downtown Los Angeles and is expected to formally plead guilty in the coming weeks (Eileen Wang).
- Prosecutors say Wang operated a purported news site, the U.S. News Center, beginning in late 2020 and continuing until at least the end of 2022 to circulate pro-China content under the direction of Chinese officials (U.S. News Center).
- The filings detail that Wang coordinated the propaganda effort with Southern California resident Yaoning “Mike” Sun — a Chinese national who was treasurer of her campaign; Sun was sentenced in February 2026 to four years in prison for his role (Yaoning "Mike" Sun).
- The plea describes an encrypted message directing Wang to publish an essay asserting there is no genocide or forced labor in Xinjiang and to label contrary reports as efforts to defame China and damage Xinjiang’s stability (an essay asserting there is no genocide or forced labor in Xinjiang).
- Wang was elected to the Arcadia City Council in November 2022; the mayoralty in Arcadia is chosen on a rotating basis from the five‑member council (Arcadia City Council).
- First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli issued a statement framing Wang’s conduct as an example of individuals covertly doing the bidding of foreign governments and said the plea was part of efforts to counter China’s attempts to influence U.S. institutions (First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli).
- Arcadia City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto said in a news release that no Arcadia city finances or staff were involved and that the conduct at issue ceased after Wang was sworn into office in December 2022 (City manager Dominic Lazzaretto).
- Wang’s lawyers, Jason Liang and Brian Sun, issued a statement saying she “recognizes the seriousness of the charge,” accepts responsibility for “past personal mistakes,” apologized, and affirmed her continued love and devotion for the Arcadia community (Wang's attorneys Jason Liang and Brian Sun).
- The reporting details a June 2021 incident in which a Chinese government official sent Wang a link to a Los Angeles Times letter from the PRC consul general denying genocide and forced labor in Xinjiang, which Wang reposted to the U.S. News Center within minutes (June 2021 incident).
- The story notes Wang communicated with John Chen, another individual who pleaded guilty to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government and was sentenced to 20 months in prison (John Chen).
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Article confirms that on Monday, May 11, 2026, Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang appeared in federal court in downtown Los Angeles and is expected to formally plead guilty in the coming weeks.
- City manager Dominic Lazzaretto said in a news release that no Arcadia city finances or staff were involved and that the conduct at issue ceased after Wang was sworn into office in December 2022.
- Wang's attorneys Jason Liang and Brian Sun issued a statement saying she 'recognizes the seriousness of the charge,' accepts responsibility for 'past personal mistakes,' and apologized, adding that her 'love and devotion for the Arcadia community' have not changed.
- The article details a June 2021 incident in which a Chinese government official sent Wang a link to a Los Angeles Times letter from the PRC consul general denying genocide and forced labor in Xinjiang, and Wang reposted it to the U.S. News Center website within minutes.
- The story notes that Wang communicated with John Chen, another individual who pleaded guilty to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government and was sentenced to 20 months in prison.
- Wang's lawyers say she was engaged to co‑conspirator Yaoning 'Mike' Sun at the time of the charged conduct and that the relationship ended in spring 2024, characterizing her conduct as influenced by 'trust and love for apparently the wrong person.'
- On Monday, May 11, 2026, Eileen Wang resigned as mayor of Arcadia, California, the same day prosecutors announced the charge and unsealed her plea agreement.
- The plea agreement describes Wang's operation of a purported news website, U.S. News Center, beginning in late 2020 and continuing until at least the end of 2022 to circulate pro-China content under direction of Chinese officials.
- The filing details that Wang coordinated the propaganda effort with Southern California resident Yaoning "Mike" Sun, a Chinese national previously engaged to Wang and treasurer of her election campaign, who was sentenced in February 2026 to four years in prison for his role.
- The article specifies an example of directed content: an encrypted message ordering Wang to publish an essay asserting there is no genocide or forced labor in Xinjiang and characterizing contrary reports as efforts to defame China and damage Xinjiang's stability.
- The story notes Wang was elected to the Arcadia City Council in November 2022, with the mayor chosen on a rotating basis from the five-member council.
- First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli issued a formal statement calling Wang's conduct an example of individuals covertly doing the bidding of foreign governments and framing the plea as part of a broader effort to counter China's attempts to influence U.S. institutions.