Yaoning “Mike” Sun, a Southern California political operative, was recently arrested on federal charges for allegedly acting on behalf of the People’s Republic of China as an illegal foreign agent. Sun, who previously served as the campaign manager for a successful city council race, is accused of conspiring with another individual, Chen Jun, who was sentenced to prison for similar charges.
According to the federal complaint, Sun communicated with Chen to discuss his candidate’s campaign during the city council race. He also wrote reports at the instruction of Chen, which were sent to Chinese government officials. In one report, Sun bragged about orchestrating and organizing his team to win the election for a city council member candidate referred to as “Individual 1.”
If convicted, Sun could face a maximum of 15 years in prison for both charges. The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office emphasized the seriousness of the case and the ongoing efforts to identify and disrupt Chinese intelligence operations targeting the United States.
This case sheds light on the extent of China’s intelligence and influence activities in the U.S. The FBI is committed to using all available resources to combat these threats and hold accountable those who engage in criminal conspiracies to undermine the integrity of elected officials. Sun is expected to appear in court soon, though it is unclear if he has legal representation at this time.
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