Former Eileen Wang, a Southern California mayor, admitted in federal court Monday that she acted as an illegal agent for the Chinese government. Prosecutors say Wang and her fiancé operated a fake news site called U.S. News Center between 2020 and 2022, presenting it as a trusted source for the local Chinese American community. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Chinese officials directed Wang on what content to publish, including articles denying allegations of forced labor and genocide in China. Authorities say she also gathered information about website users and reported the data back to the Chinese government. Wang pleaded guilty to the charges and now faces a possible sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison. The case highlights growing concerns from U.S. officials about foreign influence operations targeting communities through online media platforms and misinformation campaigns in the United States.
