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Unregistered Agent

All articles tagged with #unregistered agent

crime-and-courts1 month ago•8 min saved

Arcadia ex-mayor pleads guilty to acting as China’s unregistered agent

Eileen Wang, the former Arcadia mayor, pleaded guilty in federal court to acting as an unregistered agent for the Chinese government, admitting she and her ex-fiancé ran a website that promoted Chinese government propaganda and followed directives from Chinese officials between 2020 and 2022; she faces up to 10 years in prison with sentencing set for October 6, and her case has sparked anger in Arcadia over leadership's handling of the matter.

via Los Angeles Times|

#arcadia #china #crime-and-courts

politics1 month ago•7 min saved

American journalist faces federal charge for acting as China’s unregistered agent

An American journalist living in China, Thomas Pauken II, was charged with acting as an agent for the Chinese government without registering with the U.S. attorney general. Prosecutors say he prepared confidential reports for a Chinese handler who claimed they would pass them to Xi Jinping and even arranged a contact with a U.S. official that Pauken hoped would relay information to China, offering a $10,000 bonus for reports. Pauken was arrested in February; a pre-indictment plea hearing is scheduled. DOJ officials say the case centers on work for a foreign government without proper paperwork rather than spying. Pauken writes under the pseudonym Tom McGregor and is the son of GOP figure Tom Pauken; he allegedly used his Chinese contacts to pursue information and avoided disclosing his activities, with the FBI monitoring key meetings after his return to the U.S. The government has charged one felony count under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which carries up to 10 years in prison.

via Politico|

#china #fara #fbi

politics1 month ago•11 min saved

Arcadia Mayor Linked to Chinese Influence, Plea Reveals

Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang admitted in a plea to helping publish content directed by Chinese officials and running a pro-China news site without disclosing ties, amid scrutiny of her former campaign adviser who pleaded guilty as a Chinese agent. Experts say she’s more an “agent of influence” than a traditional spy; the case, along with Sun’s and a PRC official’s pleas, underscores ongoing Foreign Agents Registration Act enforcement and fuels debate over foreign influence in U.S. local politics.

via Los Angeles Times|

#arcadia #china #eileen-wang

politics2 months ago•3 min saved

Ex-Rep. Rivera Convicted in Secret Venezuela Lobbying Scheme

Former Florida Rep. David Rivera was found guilty in Miami on all counts for secretly lobbying U.S. officials on behalf of Venezuela’s PDVSA to ease sanctions during Nicolás Maduro’s tenure; the trial featured testimony from Rubio and others, and Rivera and associate Esther Nuhfer were convicted, with Rivera facing a potentially long prison sentence and related charges in D.C.

via NBC News|

#lobbying #politics #rivera