Thomas Pauken II admitted to having worked for interests linked to the Beijing regime without registering as a foreign agent. The Department of Justice claims that he acted as an intermediary for Chinese intelligence within the United States.
An American journalist linked to Chinese state media pleaded guilty to acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese communist regime within the United States, in a case that once again highlights the influence and espionage operations driven by Beijing on American soil.
This is Thomas Pauken II, a resident of China since 2010 and a regular contributor to various media controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, who admitted in a federal court in Washington to having worked for Chinese interests without registering with U.S. authorities as required by law.
The sentencing will take place on September 1, and the defendant faces a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
An intermediary between Beijing and U.S. officials
According to the Department of Justice, Pauken — who used the pseudonym Tom McGregor — acted as an intermediary between agents linked to the Chinese intelligence apparatus and U.S. citizens with potential access to sensitive information.
The investigation claims that the journalist was arrested in February when he arrived in Washington from China and that for years he maintained contact with an agent identified as "Cathy", allegedly linked to the intelligence services of the Beijing regime.
According to court documents, between 2019 and 2025 he received approximately USD 100,000 for reports intended for Chinese officials.
U.S. authorities assert that some of those reports were prepared with information obtained through political and professional contacts within the United States.
Offered money for information destined for Beijing
A Beijing operator was arrested in the US: a journalist pleaded guilty to acting for China.
One of the most compromising elements of the case emerged during an operation supervised by the FBI.
According to the affidavit submitted by prosecutors, Pauken met in Washington with a person aspiring to hold a position within the Trump administration.
During that meeting, he handed over a SIM card and offered USD 10,000 additional in exchange for periodic reports that would be sent to the Chinese agent.
The court documents indicate that Pauken claimed that such reports would even be read by Xi Jinping, the leader of the Chinese communist regime.
Authorities assert that the journalist functioned as a channel for collecting information for Beijing within U.S. territory.
The FBI monitored the operation for months
The investigation also reveals that Pauken was previously intercepted by agents of the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) upon returning from China.
During that check, the defendant admitted that he planned to deliver electronic devices to a person linked to the future U.S. administration and expressed confidence that he could obtain relevant information for his Chinese contacts.
Authorities then decided to allow him to continue his activities while the FBI kept surveillance on his movements.
A Beijing operator was arrested in the US: a journalist pleaded guilty to acting for China.
Subsequently, the operation documented the financial offers and the mechanisms used to channel information to the Chinese regime.
Concerns grow over Chinese infiltration
Pauken's case adds to a series of recent investigations involving U.S. citizens accused of collaborating with Beijing's interests.
Among them is the case of Eileen Wang, former mayor of Arcadia, who agreed to plead guilty to acting under the instructions of Chinese officials, as well as the case against Linda Sun, a former advisor to New York governors accused of operating as an unregistered agent of the regime.
For Washington, these episodes reflect a broader strategy driven by the Chinese Communist Party to influence Western institutions, obtain sensitive information, and develop intelligence operations within the United States.
According to the Department of Justice, Pauken never registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) nor officially notified that he was working on behalf of a foreign government.
The investigation also claims that he collaborated with business groups and Chinese citizens interested in obtaining information about U.S. technology, activities of the Department of Justice, and potential opportunities related to cyber espionage, reinforcing authorities' concerns about the extent of the influence operations driven by the Beijing regime.
