Former California Mayor Eileen Wang to Plead Guilty to Acting as Chinese Agent

Attorney Katie Zacharia warned Tuesday that a California mayor's guilty plea to acting as an agent of the Chinese government might signal broader problems.

"There needs to be a wholesale review of not just legal permanent residents, but people who are here from adversarial countries," Zacharia said on Fox & Friends First.

"There has to be a complete takedown of these green card holders, and they need to be sent back home," she added.

Her comments followed a Justice Department announcement that Eileen Wang, former mayor of Arcadia, California, had been charged with acting as an illegal agent of the People's Republic of China. Wang agreed to plead guilty to the felony.

She described the decision as "personal in nature" and said it "does not reflect [her] love and commitment to Arcadia, which will always remain strong."

Wang faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. A federal judge will determine the sentence.

Zacharia called the maximum penalty offensive. "That's actually kind of offensive as a United States citizen," she said. "This person was acting as a foreign agent on behalf of the CCP. There should be no grace. They literally should be sent back to the People's Republic of China."

Federal prosecutors said Wang admitted acting "at the direction and control" of Chinese government officials from at least 2020 through 2022. She coordinated with individuals in the U.S. to spread pro-Beijing messaging without notifying the U.S. attorney general as required by law.

The conduct took place before Wang joined the Arcadia City Council in December 2022.

Local officials said Wang's actions had no impact on city operations.