California Mayor Eileen Wang resigns after admitting to acting as Chinese agent

A California Mayor Eileen Wang, accused of being a Chinese agent, resigned on Monday following a deal with authorities to plead guilty to charges of acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government.

The 58-year-old Chinese-American politician of Arcadia, California, could be sentenced up to 10 years in prison if she pleads guilty in the coming weeks.

She immigrated from China to California around 30 years ago. In the Arcadia community, the mother of two is known for running an after-school program called Little Stanford Academy.

In an update on X, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel said Wang admitted to be involved as an illegal agent since 2020, adding, “She was promoting People's Republic of China (PRC) propaganda in the U.S. and was promoting PRC interests.”

He added that the agency will continue to work more aggressively pursuing foreign influence operations inside the United States.

Wang became one of the five members of Arcadia City Council after getting elected in November 2020 and became a mayor on a rotating basis in February 2026. 

City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto confirmed Wang’s resignation, saying the allegations brought against her are “extremely troubling.”

Lazzaretto said after thorough investigation, it has been determined that she was acting alone and no other staff was involved.

Wang’s attorney Brian Sun shared the former mayor’s apology with the public, adding, “Her love and devotion for the Arcadia community have not changed and did not waver.”

China has not yet officially commented on the development.