Eileen Wang, the 58-year-old former mayor of Arcadia, California, has agreed to plead guilty to acting as an illegal agent for China. The US Department of Justice (DoJ) announced the charges against her. The Arcadia City Council confirmed her resignation on Monday, May 11, 2026. Wang now faces a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years.
Her lawyers, Jason Liang and Brian Sun, issued a statement on her behalf. They stated that Wang apologises for her personal mistakes. First assistant US attorney Bill Essayli commented on the plea agreement. He called it a success in defending the homeland. Essayli said individuals acting covertly for foreign governments undermine democracy.
The DoJ accuses Wang of following directions from Chinese officials. She allegedly shared articles favourable to Beijing. She did this without informing the US government as required by law. Wang was elected to the Arcadia City Council in November 2022. The council is a five-member body. Council members serve as mayor on a rotating basis.
Wang's lawyers confirmed she accepts responsibility for past personal mistakes. Their statement also mentioned her unwavering love for the Arcadia community. The DoJ detailed Wang's work with Yaoning "Mike" Sun, 65. They operated a website called US News Center. This site claimed to be a news source for Chinese Americans in Arcadia.
The DoJ provided an example of her alleged actions. A Chinese government official sent Wang pre-written news articles. The articles were sent via the encrypted WeChat messaging app. One article denied forced labour allegations in China's Xinjiang province. Wang shared this article on US News Center soon after receiving it. She also responded to the Chinese official, according to the DoJ.
Dominic Lazzaretto, the city manager of Arcadia, addressed the situation. He stated that external government influence on elected officials is deeply troubling. Lazzaretto emphasised that the city takes these allegations seriously. He clarified that the investigation concerns individual conduct. The charged conduct ceased after Wang took office in December 2022. An internal review found no involvement of City finances, staff, or decision-making.