In a California Chinese enclave, a mayor's guilty plea stokes fears of Beijing's influence
Eileen Wang, the former mayor of Arcadia, Calif., at right, exits federal court after pleading guilty on charges of acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government on Friday, May 29, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/William Liang)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — In 2024, voters in the Southern California city of Arcadia elected the first all-Asian city council in the city's history.
Now, one of those politicians has pleaded guilty to being an illegal agent of the Chinese government. Former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang's plea, entered in federal court Friday, continues a saga that some residents of the area worry could bring unfair scrutiny on the broader Chinese and Asian American community.
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