An American citizen who for years collaborated with Chinese intelligence agents and worked for state media in that country was sentenced on September 1 to two years in prison for acting as an agent of China, in a case that U.S. prosecutors described as representative of Beijing's espionage operations within the United States.
Thomas Pauken II, 51, pleaded guilty in June after receiving approximately $100,000 over seven years from his main contact with Chinese intelligence. According to court documents, Pauken prepared reports and gathered information that was subsequently delivered to Chinese officials. His contact had indicated that some of those reports would go directly to Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Pauken was arrested in February, just days after attempting to recruit an official linked to the administration of President Donald Trump to collaborate with his Chinese contact. During the sentencing hearing held on September 1, U.S. prosecutor Eli Ross described the defendant's conduct as ''emblematic'' of China's espionage operations.
An American journalist was sentenced to two years in prison for collaborating with agents of Chinese intelligence services
Ross stated that Pauken made a ''conscious decision'' to continue collaborating with Chinese authorities despite knowing that his actions were wrong. The prosecutor also noted that the defendant published articles in Chinese state media under his own name and later deleted records of his communications to make it harder for U.S. authorities to detect his activities.
Pauken's conduct continued even after the FBI issued a warning in 2025 regarding Chinese intelligence activities. According to prosecutors, the defendant even offered a $10,000 bonus to help Beijing cultivate a source of information within the United States.
''He did it for money; he did it for prestige,'' Ross stated during the hearing. ''He chose this path and was caught''.
Pauken did not contest the facts presented by the government. During his statement, he claimed that the months he spent in solitary confinement allowed him to reflect on the harm he had caused to his country. He also acknowledged that he had obtained sensitive information and that he had indeed communicated it to Chinese citizens.
Pauken continued to work with the authorities of Xi Jinping's regime, knowing that he was causing harm to his country
The defendant moved to China around 2010 and subsequently worked for several of the country's major state media organizations, including ''China Central Television'' and its international division, ''CGTN''. Court records show that he made six trips to the United States since 2019, staying in the country for periods ranging from several days to several weeks.
Prosecutors argued that these trips aimed to recruit individuals capable of providing information to Chinese authorities. His main contact, identified in court documents as ''Cathy'', typically transferred between $7,000 and $8,000 to cover each trip.
Pauken gathered reports and recorded interviews following questions posed by ''Cathy''. Part of the information was related to the opinions and decisions of the presidential administration and to a person who later began working for a federal agency. After sending the materials, Pauken deleted the messages when he received confirmation that they had been received.
The Department of Justice claims that Pauken sold reports to Chinese agents in Wuhan interested in the operations of the Trump administration
The Department of Justice also noted that Pauken sold reports to a group of people from Wuhan interested in obtaining information about technology and about the department itself, in addition to seeking their help to conduct cyber espionage activities. He also collaborated with two other individuals based in China, identified as ''Richard'' and ''William'', who claimed that the information would be sent to Japan. However, Pauken believed that both were working for the Chinese state.
His attorney, Charles Burnham, attempted to present a different picture of his client's motivations. He argued that Pauken did not act primarily for money, but was seeking a new opportunity after a difficult childhood and that China had offered him the chance to start over. He also maintained that his client believed he was contributing to improving relations between the United States and China.
Burnham pointed out that the $100,000 received over seven years did not represent a life-changing amount for Pauken. Judge Leonie Brinkema rejected that argument and noted that that sum had considerable purchasing power in China. Prosecutors had requested a 36-month sentence, highlighting that Pauken and his wife purchased two apartments for about $400,000 in 2023 and enjoyed a family vacation paid for by Beijing.
Despite Pauken's lawyers' attempts to clear his name, the accused accepted responsibility and clarified that he will comply with the established sentence
Finally, Brinkema imposed two years in prison and three years of supervised release. During that period, Pauken will not be able to travel abroad. The defendant expressed remorse and concern for his wife and son, who remain in China.
His attorney stated after the hearing that Pauken accepted responsibility and will respect the sentence. He also emphasized that, as agreed by the government during the process, the defendant did not provide classified information to China.
The case also had a family dimension. Pauken's father, Thomas Pauken, was present at the hearing. The elder directed a federal task force related to volunteer programs during the Ronald Reagan administration and later chaired the Texas Republican Party. He did not make any statements upon leaving the courthouse.
