US Journalist Sentenced to 2 Years for Acting as Undeclared Chinese Agent
An American journalist has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for acting as an agent of a foreign government without proper disclosure, the US Justice Department announced. Thomas Weir Pauken II, 51, pleaded guilty earlier this year and accepted the court's sentence without planning an appeal.
Pauken, who moved to China in 2010, worked for various Chinese news organisations including state broadcaster CCTV and Xinhua news agency. From at least 2019 until his arrest in February, he acted at the direction of individuals he knew worked for China's Ministry of State Security, supporting intelligence operations and recruiting potential assets. He was also sentenced to 36 months of supervised release with no overseas travel.
The case reflects ongoing US-China tensions and a series of federal prosecutions involving people accused of working for the Chinese government without disclosure. Pauken's defence lawyer stated he did not provide classified information to China.
