Overview

• Federal prosecutors allege Yaoning 'Mike' Sun, 64, acted as an illegal agent of the Chinese government to influence local U.S. politics, including the 2022 Arcadia City Council race.
• Sun is accused of collaborating with convicted Chinese agent Chen Jun to advance Beijing's interests, including targeting Falun Gong practitioners and promoting pro-China policies.
• Eileen Wang, identified as 'Individual 1' in court documents, is confirmed as Sun's close associate and campaign manager; she has not been charged and denies involvement in the alleged activities.
• Court filings reveal Sun and Chen communicated with Chinese officials about Wang's election, with plans to develop a network of U.S. politicians aligned with Beijing's agenda.
• The case highlights broader concerns about China's long-term strategy to cultivate influence at local levels of U.S. government, as emphasized by U.S. intelligence and FBI officials.