What we know about Eileen Wang, former Arcadia mayor accused of being Chinese foreign agent - BERITAJA

Eileen Wang emerged arsenic an up-and-coming organization leader successful the San Gabriel Valley respective years ago.

She won the endorsement of salient governmental figures and was elected to a spot connected the Arcadia City Council. In a 2024 question and reply pinch The Times, Wang said she moved to Southern California from China 30 years ago.

Her mother was a Chinese medicine and acupuncture doctor, and her begetter was a expert successful Sichuan state earlier moving astatine USC, she said. She said she was drawn to Arcadia by the bully schools for her sons and her desire to make a quality successful the community.

This week, unsealed documents show she’s been charged pinch acting arsenic an forbidden overseas supplier of China.

Wang resigned from the City Council connected Monday aft reaching an statement to resoluteness the national case.

Here is simply a rundown of what we know:

What are national prosecutors alleging?

From precocious 2020 done astatine slightest 2022, Wang worked pinch Yaoning “Mike” Sun, her erstwhile fiance, moving a website called U.S. News Center that branded itself arsenic a news root for Chinese Americans, according to the plea statement unsealed Monday. Both Wang and Sun “executed directives” from Chinese authorities officials, posting requested articles and reporting backmost pinch screenshots showing really galore group viewed the stories, the statement says.

On June 10, 2021, the statement says, Wang received a connection from a authorities charismatic about “China’s Stance connected the Xinjiang Issue,” which included a nexus to a letter to the editor successful the Los Angeles Times from the consul wide of the People’s Republic of China successful Los Angeles. The consul wide had been responding to a Times editorial supporting a boycott of products made pinch fabric produced successful the Xinjiang region of China.

At the time, news reports were highlighting the Chinese government‘s campaign of incarceration, persecution and “reeducation” of Uyghurs successful the Xinjiang province.

“There is nary genocide successful Xinjiang; location is nary specified point arsenic ‘forced labor’ successful immoderate accumulation activity, including fabric production. Spreading specified rumor is to defame China, destruct Xinjiang’s information and stability,” publication the connection from the Chinese authorities official, according to the plea agreement.

Minutes aft receiving the link, Wang posted the article connected her website and responded to the Chinese authorities charismatic pinch a nexus to the article connected her website, according to the tribunal filing.

“So fast, convey you everyone,” the authorities charismatic responded, the tribunal records show.

Prosecutors besides opportunity Wang edited articles astatine the petition of officials and shared accusation showing the scope of the posts.

What are her attorneys saying?

In a statement, Wang’s attorneys, Brian A. Sun and Jason Liang, said “that the behaviour underlying the accusation and the statement pinch the authorities relates solely to Ms. Wang’s individual life — i.e., a media level that she erstwhile operated pinch personification whom she believed to beryllium her fiancé — and not to her behaviour arsenic an elected nationalist official.”

“She apologizes and is sorry for the mistakes she has made successful her individual life,” the connection added. “Her emotion and devotion for the Arcadia organization person not changed and did not waver. She asks for the community’s knowing and continued support.”

What about Sun?

Prosecutors charged Sun, a resident of Chino Hills, successful December 2024 pinch conspiracy and acting arsenic an forbidden supplier of a overseas government. Wang said her narration pinch Sun ended successful the outpouring of 2024.

Sun was sentenced successful February to 4 years successful national situation aft pleading blameworthy successful October 2025 to 1 count of acting arsenic an forbidden supplier of a overseas government.

Sun worked arsenic an forbidden supplier for the People’s Republic of China, submitting reports to high-level authorities officials about activity he was doing connected the government’s behalf, according to a national sentencing memorandum. This activity included combating Falun Gong, a belief believe banned successful China, and supporters of Taiwanese independence. Sun besides was accused of monitoring the then-president of Taiwan during her April 2023 travel to the U.S.

What’s next?

A magistrate judge ordered a $25,000 enslaved for Wang, and she was ordered to surrender her passport and recreation documents. Wang must besides refrain from immoderate connection pinch the Chinese government, including consular officials successful the U.S.

A proceeding has not yet been scheduled for Wang to participate a blameworthy plea. Once she does, she faces up to 10 years successful prison.

The Arcadia metropolis authorities announced that adjacent week it would prime a politician and politician pro tem from among the remaining assembly members.