Journalist pleads guilty as unregistered Chinese spy

An American citizen and journalist has pleaded guilty to acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government, admitting to a years-long scheme to gather information on U.S. targets and infiltrate American political circles. Thomas Weir Pauken II, 50, entered his plea in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, and now faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Pauken, who had lived and worked in China for over a decade, operated under the direction of Chinese intelligence officers without notifying the U.S. government. His activities, which authorities said spanned from at least 2019 until February 2026, constituted a betrayal of the country and posed an unacceptable risk to national security, a senior Justice Department official stated.

Court documents detail that Pauken’s primary handler was a Chinese intelligence officer identified as “Cathy,” whom he met in 2017. Under her direction, Pauken acted as an intermediary, meeting with individuals in the United States, providing them with communications equipment, and relaying information back to Chinese intelligence. Prosecutors said he was paid at least $100,000 for these...