IE Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Acting as Illegal Agent of China

Yaoning "Mike" Sun, 65, of Chino Hills, pleaded guilty to acting as an unregistered foreign agent for the People's Republic of China.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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A former campaign advisor and ex-fiancée of a Southern California city council member was sentenced Monday to four years in federal prison for acting as an illegal agent of the People's Republic of China. Yaoning 'Mike' Sun, 65, of Chino Hills, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government.

Why it matters

This case highlights concerns about foreign influence in U.S. local politics, particularly efforts by the Chinese government to cultivate relationships with rising politicians. It also underscores the importance of transparency around foreign agent registration requirements.

The details

Prosecutors alleged that from at least 2022 to January 2024, Sun knowingly acted within the United States as an agent of the PRC and its officials, without notifying the Attorney General as required by U.S. law. Sun served as the campaign manager and confidante for Eileen Wang, who was elected to the Arcadia City Council in 2022. Sun allegedly communicated with a PRC government accomplice about efforts to get Wang elected, with the goal of helping China strengthen its influence in California.

  • In November 2022, shortly after Wang was elected, Sun's accomplice instructed him to prepare a report on the election that was sent to Chinese government officials.
  • In February 2023, Sun drafted a report for PRC officials to solicit additional money and taskings from the PRC government.
  • Throughout 2023 and 2024, Sun communicated with a PRC consular official in Los Angeles regarding activities in Southern California related to Taiwan.

The players

Yaoning "Mike" Sun

A 65-year-old resident of Chino Hills who pleaded guilty to acting as an illegal agent of the People's Republic of China.

Eileen Wang

A Southern California city council member who was elected in 2022 and is currently serving as mayor of Arcadia.

John Chen

Also known as "Chen Jun," Sun's primary accomplice who was a high-level member of the PRC intelligence apparatus and was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights concerns about foreign influence in U.S. local politics, particularly efforts by the Chinese government to cultivate relationships with rising politicians. It underscores the importance of transparency around foreign agent registration requirements and the need for vigilance against covert attempts to undermine democratic processes.