Southern California Spy Case Ends in Prison Sentence, Shaking Local Politics

In a case that reads like the script of a Cold War thriller but unfolded in the quiet suburbs east of Los Angeles, a 65-year-old political operative has been sentenced to federal prison for secretly working on behalf of the Chinese government while helping a local candidate win office.

The man at the center of the case, Yaoning “Mike” Sun, was handed a four-year sentence in a Los Angeles federal court after admitting he acted as an unregistered agent for the People’s Republic of China. Federal prosecutors said his activities stretched from campaign strategy to political influence operations, all while reporting back to officials tied to Beijing.

Sun, a Chino Hills resident, worked as a campaign adviser and treasurer for a Southern California city council candidate who ultimately won election in 2022.

Court documents did not publicly name the politician, but sources familiar with the investigation identified the candidate as Arcadia’s Eileen Wang, who later rose to the position of mayor. According to prosecutors, Sun operated under the direction and control of Chinese government officials between 2022 and early 2024.

His responsibilities included coordinating with people in the United States to advance Beijing’s interests, promoting pro-China messaging, and helping elect a candidate considered favorable to those interests. He ultimately pleaded guilty in October 2025 to acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government, a charge that carries a potential sentence of up to ten years in prison.

Prosecutors described Sun’s activities as part political consulting, part intelligence gathering.

Among the actions outlined in court filings:

• He allegedly organized efforts to help a candidate win a city council seat during the 2022 election.
• He published pro-Beijing propaganda through an online platform.
• He provided real-time updates to Chinese officials about the movements of Taiwan’s president during a 2023 visit to Southern California.
• He sought funding from Chinese contacts for demonstrations promoting Beijing’s interests in the United States.

In a report to Chinese officials, prosecutors said Sun described his political work as helping a “new political star” win office, part of a broader effort to cultivate allies in American local government.

The case was tied to a broader federal investigation into alleged Chinese influence operations in the United States.

Sun was accused of working with another man, John Chen, who had already been sentenced in 2024 for acting as an unregistered agent and attempting to target Falun Gong practitioners, a spiritual group banned in China.

Authorities say the two men were involved in efforts to counter political movements opposed by Beijing, including supporters of Taiwanese independence and Falun Gong communities in the United States. Sun’s sentence came after prosecutors sought a five-year term, while his defense argued for leniency, saying he had lived a law-abiding life since immigrating to the United States in the 1990s.

The judge ultimately imposed a four-year federal prison term.

Authorities emphasized that the case was part of a broader push to counter foreign attempts to influence American elections, particularly at the state and local levels where oversight may be less intense. Although the unnamed politician linked to Sun has not been charged with any crime, the case has stirred controversy across the San Gabriel Valley, a region with deep cultural and economic ties to China.

City officials have previously described the incident as isolated and said the council member cooperated with federal investigators.

Still, the case has fueled growing concerns among federal authorities about foreign governments attempting to shape local elections, not just national ones.