Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang stepped down Monday, May 11, 2026, after federal prosecutors announced she had agreed to plead guilty in a case tied to Chinese government influence operations in the United States.
Wang appeared in federal court in Los Angeles earlier that day. Court records show she was charged with acting in the U.S. on behalf of a foreign government without properly registering with federal authorities. She was later released on a $25,000 bond while the case moves forward.
According to prosecutors, Wang worked with Yaoning “Mike” Sun on a website called “U.S. News Center,” which described itself as a platform serving Chinese American readers. Investigators say the site published messaging requested by officials connected to the People’s Republic of China, often referred to as the PRC.
The plea agreement says Wang acknowledged she took direction from Chinese officials while helping manage content for the website between 2020 and 2022. Prosecutors claim some articles were written to support Chinese government positions on political issues and international criticism.
Federal officials also allege Wang and Sun communicated directly with Chinese government contacts about what material should appear online. In some cases, prosecutors said, they sent screenshots and traffic numbers after articles were published. One court filing describes a 2021 message from a Chinese official that included material intended for publication and stated it came from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Sun previously pleaded guilty in a related case involving illegal foreign agent activity and was sentenced to four years in federal prison earlier this year.
Some of the material mentioned in court documents focused on Xinjiang, a region in western China that has faced international scrutiny over allegations of forced labor and human rights abuses involving Uyghurs. Prosecutors say Wang and Sun published articles rejecting those accusations after receiving requests from contacts linked to the Chinese government.
Wang’s attorneys said Monday that the allegations were connected to her personal relationship with Sun and not to her work for the city of Arcadia. The lawyers, Brian A. Sun and Jason Liang, said Wang became involved with the media platform during a relationship with someone she believed she would marry.
Their statement also said Wang regretted what happened and planned to leave public office behind. “She apologizes and is sorry for the mistakes she has made in her personal life,” the attorneys said.
Arcadia officials confirmed Wang resigned from her mayoral position Monday. The City Council is expected to appoint a replacement at an upcoming meeting.
The federal charge carries a possible prison sentence of up to 10 years, though the final punishment will be decided later by a judge. Prosecutors said they may recommend a lower sentence under federal guidelines as part of the plea agreement.
Arcadia is located in the San Gabriel Valley northeast of Los Angeles and has a population of around 56,000 residents. Census data shows a majority of the city’s population identifies as Asian American.
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