Disgraced former Arcadia mayor Eileen Wang has lastly resurfaced in public after resigning in disgrace over allegations that she acted as a spy for the Folks’s Republic of China.
Wang stepped down after admitting in a federal plea settlement that she operated as an agent for Beijing — a shocking scandal prosecutors say highlights the rising menace of Chinese language affect operations concentrating on america.
Now, for the primary time for the reason that explosive case rocked Southern California politics, Wang has been noticed quietly shifting about Arcadia, conserving a low profile as federal scrutiny continues to swirl round her.
The California Publish visited Wang’s Arcadia residence hoping to confront the fallen Democrat in regards to the allegations that turned her from rising political star to alleged overseas operative.
Sounds of motion could possibly be heard from inside the house and a person’s voice was audible, however regardless of repeated knocks, no one answered the door.
Not lengthy afterward, a automobile beforehand linked to Wang was seen pulling out of the driveway and heading to Garfield Medical Middle.
Wang later emerged from the automotive, entered the power and ultimately left with out talking to reporters. The identical automobile was later noticed exterior the Sheraton San Gabriel.
Neighbors informed The Publish the embattled ex-mayor has all the time stored an unusually low profile.
“She tends to maintain to herself,” neighbor David Zhang, 28, informed The Publish. “Essentially the most we see of her is when she’s strolling her huge Husky round. We don’t actually see her exterior so we’re not too aware of her private state of affairs. We wave at one another however that’s the restrict of our interplay. Typically she has a person over and we hear a little bit of yelling and arguing that feels like a home dispute.”
One other neighbor, Paul Brink, 86, recalled Wang canvassing door-to-door throughout her early political rise.
“She got here door to door giving out her brochure,” Brink informed The Publish. “She was a daily candidate introducing herself and saying she was a neighbor operating for council.”
He described her as a “good dressed woman,” however declined to say whether or not he voted for her.
A next-door neighbor, who declined to supply his final identify, mentioned Wang not often interacted with anybody close by.
“Once I see her it’s simply ‘hello’ and ‘bye’ when she is passing,” he mentioned. “I see a man coming by however I have no idea if he lives there. I don’t get into politics in any respect. Often I simply watch Netflix and YouTube. I don’t watch the common information.”
Federal prosecutors allege Wang labored alongside her then-fiancé, Yaoning Solar, to function a web site referred to as “US Information Middle,” which authorities say masqueraded as a Chinese language American information outlet whereas secretly advancing Beijing’s affect agenda between 2020 and 2022.
Prosecutors additionally allege John Chen helped bankroll Wang’s 2022 Arcadia Metropolis Council marketing campaign alongside Solar whereas allegedly reporting again to handlers related to the Chinese language authorities.
Wang’s political ascent accelerated after she switched from the Republican Celebration to the Democratic Celebration in 2022, the identical 12 months prosecutors say the alleged overseas affect marketing campaign ramped up.
Regardless of the scandal now surrounding her, Wang was as soon as celebrated by prime Democrats. In 2024, Rep. Judy Chu named Wang “Girl of the 12 months,” applauding her “robust voice, management, and dedication to serving her group.”
