Former California Mayor Admits to Acting as Chinese Agent, Faces Up to 10 Years in Prison

Former Arcadia Mayor Miss Irene Lin has pleaded guilty to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government. The 58-year-old, who was elected to the Arcadia City Council in November 2022, resigned from her mayoral position after being charged.

Lin appeared in Los Angeles federal court and admitted to the charges, responding to the judge's questions primarily with "yes" or "no." She faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, with the court set to deliver its sentence on October 6.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced the charges on May 11, accusing Lin of acting as an unregistered foreign agent under the direction and control of Chinese officials. She was alleged to have engaged in political propaganda activities within the United States without notifying the U.S. government.

Lin's former boyfriend, Yaoning "Mike" Sun, was previously convicted and sentenced to two years in prison. He was accused of monitoring the itinerary of former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during her visit to the United States in 2023.