California political operative allegedly acted as illegal agent of China: DOJ

A Chino Hills, California man has been arrested for allegedly working as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) while also serving as the campaign manager for a local politician who was elected to office in 2022.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said 64-year-old Yaoning "Mike" Sun was arrested on Thursday and charged with acting as an illegal agent of China as well as conspiring with another man, Chen Jun, who was sentenced to prison in November for bribery and also acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government.

According to a criminal complaint filed with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on Tuesday, Sun served as campaign manager for a Southern California politician who was not named and only identified as "Individual 1" in the complaint. Individual 1 was ultimately elected to a city council position in a city not named in the complaint, in 2022.

Sun and Chen communicated during the campaign to help get the individual elected.

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The DOJ said Chen allegedly spoke with Chinese government officials about how China could "influence" local American politicians, especially on the topic of Taiwan.

Shortly after Individual 1 was elected to office in November 2022, Chen allegedly told Sun to prepare a report on the election. The report was sent to Chinese government officials, who the complaint says responded positively and expressed thanks.

Nearly a month after the individual was elected, Chen also set up a lunch with Sun and others at a Rowland Heights restaurant. The gathering was described to a PRC official by Chen as a "core member lunch," the DOJ said. Individual 1 was not reportedly at the luncheon, though Chen told the Chinese government officials the individual was part of the "basic team dedicated for us."

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Chen told the PRC official the lunch was "successful," adding that attendees agreed to create a "US-China Friendship Promotional Association."

In early 2023, Chen allegedly instructed Sun to compose another report for PRC officials about the two of them "cultivating and assisting" with Individual 1’s success.

As the second report was being finalized in February 2023, Sun sent Chen a proposal to combat "anti-China forces" by marching in a U.S. Independence Day parade in Washington, D.C., the complaint noted.

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While the two men continued their efforts in the U.S., Sun allegedly asked the PRC to provide them with a budget of $80,000.

The complaint alleges that Chen and Sun spoke about a planned trip to China to meet with "leadership." It also claims Sun was directed by Chen to set up a meeting with the Chinese consul general in Los Angeles. In August 2023, Sun and Individual 1 eventually traveled to China, the complaint alleges.

Sun could face up to 10 years in prison for acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government if he is convicted.

He also faces a maximum penalty of five years behind bars for conspiring to commit an offense against the U.S.