2017: The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducts interviews and court-authorized searches related to the network Elieen Wang interacted with, specifically questioning co-conspirators such as Wang’s handler, Chinese secret agent John Chen, about wire transfers and covert PRC operations in California.
Late 2020 – 2022: Wang and her then-fiancé, Yaoning “Mike” Sun, operate a Chinese propaganda web site called “U.S. News Center” at the behest of their People’s Republic of China masters to publish pro-Beijing materials and punish dissidents.
2021-2022: Wang runs for Arcadia City Council, with Sun managing her campaign. The two are handled by Chen, who manages their actions and reports back to his Chinese bosses who issue his directives.
November 8, 2022: Wang wins her seat on the City Council.
December 6, 2022: Wang is sworn in as a Council Member representing Arcadia’s District 3.
May 26, 2023: John Chen is arrested in Los Angeles and charged with acting as an unregistered agent of the PRC, bribing a public official and money laundering.
November 19, 2024: Chen is sentenced to 20 months in prison.
December 19, 2024: Sun is arrested and federally charged with acting as a covert agent of the PRC.
April 1, 2025: A federal grand jury charges Wang in Los Angeles federal court with one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government. The indictment remains sealed.
February 3: Wang is sworn in as the mayor of Arcadia.
February 9: Sun is sentenced to four years in prison.
May 11:
- The Department of Justice unseals the Wang’s federal charges for acting as an unregistered agent of the PRC and also releases her signed plea deal.
- Wang resigns from the Arcadia City Council, vacating her position as Mayor.
- She makes her initial arraignment appearance in downtown Los Angeles federal court.
Upcoming:
May 19 – Arcadia City Council will meet to select a Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem from among the remaining Councilmembers and will begin discussing how Arcadia’s District 3 will be represented until the next election cycle in November 2026.
Possibly May or June: Wang will return to federal court to formally enter her guilty plea. She faces a statutory maximum sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison. The extent of her punishment will be revealed.