Federal officials have arrested a California man for allegedly operating as an unregistered agent for the People’s Republic of China. Yaoning “Mike” Sun, 64, was taken into custody in Chino Hills, accused of working with a convicted Chinese national to influence U.S. elections.
Sun is alleged to have conspired with John Chen, a 71-year-old who was sentenced last month to 20 months in federal prison. Chen pleaded guilty to acting as an illegal agent for the PRC and attempting to bribe a U.S. official.
The Department of Justice claims the two men worked together to support candidates in local elections who were perceived as favorable to Beijing’s goals. Their efforts reportedly centered on securing influence over individuals who would align with China’s position on Taiwan.
Court documents describe Sun as the campaign manager for a city council candidate identified as “Individual 1,” who was elected in 2022. Sun allegedly provided updates about the candidate to Chen, who is said to have forwarded the information to Chinese authorities.
A photo included in the complaint shows Chen shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2021. Investigators claim this demonstrates Chen’s close ties to senior officials in Beijing and highlights the broader scope of the PRC’s influence activities.
Sun also served as campaign treasurer for Arcadia City Council member Eileen Wang. Both Sun and Wang are reportedly affiliated with U.S. News Center, a California-based media outlet. Wang has not commented on the allegations.
