A former mayor in California has resigned after federal prosecutors accused her of acting on behalf of the Chinese government without proper disclosure.
Eileen Wang, who previously served as mayor of Arcadia, allegedly assisted in sharing pro-China messaging through a Chinese-language media outlet from 2020 through 2022. Investigators said the reported activities happened before she entered public office.
According to federal authorities, Wang failed to register as a foreign agent while promoting content that reflected Beijing’s political positions. Prosecutors stated that several articles defended China against global criticism tied to alleged human rights concerns in Xinjiang.
Officials also claim Wang worked alongside another individual to distribute the material without informing the U.S. government about the connection.
Wang later won election to the Arcadia City Council in 2022 and eventually became mayor through the city’s rotating leadership system. City officials clarified that the allegations are unrelated to municipal operations and did not involve public funding.
Her resignation became official after details of the federal plea agreement were released. If convicted, Wang could face a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
The case is part of broader federal investigations into suspected foreign influence activities within the United States.