The mayor of a wealthy Southern California city has resigned after admitting she secretly acted as an agent for the Chinese government, according to a federal plea agreement unsealed on Monday.
Former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang, 58, agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge of acting as an illegal foreign agent for the People’s Republic of China and helping push pro-Beijing propaganda inside the US.
The crime carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
The stunning case prompted immediate fallout in Arcadia, where city officials confirmed Wang stepped down from both the City Council and the mayor’s office on Monday.
Federal prosecutors allege Wang spent years working under the direction of Chinese government officials before rising into elected office in Los Angeles County.
They also claimed she used a Chinese-language news website to distribute propaganda favorable to Beijing while secretly coordinating with officials tied to the Chinese Communist Party.
Authorities have described the website as a fake news platform targeting Chinese Americans.
The case has also triggered intense scrutiny of Wang’s carefully crafted public image.
Campaign photos and promotional images used during her political rise depicted Wang in heavily polished and retouched portraits that projected a glamorous and approachable persona to voters.