An American living abroad covertly worked as an agent for China and attempted to recruit others for the Chinese government, the FBI has alleged.
According to an FBI affidavit obtained by Politico, Thomas Pauken II has been charged with acting as an agent of a foreign government without registering as one. Pauken II has lived in China since 2010 and worked as a journalist for various outlets, including China Central Television and China Global Television Network. He has worked for Xinhua News since 2024.