US Journalist Thomas Pauken Sentenced To 2 Years For Acting As Chinese Agent

An American journalist, Thomas Weir Pauken II, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for acting as an agent of a foreign government within the United States. The US Justice Department announced the sentencing, stating that Pauken pleaded guilty earlier this year and is not planning to appeal.

Pauken, 51, worked as a journalist for various Chinese news organisations after moving to China in 2010, including state broadcaster CCTV. He most recently worked as an editor for Xinhua, China's state news agency, a position he had held since 2024. However, from at least 2019 until February 2026, Pauken worked at the direction of people he knew worked for China's government, including a person he met in 2017 identified as 'Cathy.'

According to court documents, Pauken received at least USD 100,000 for his work with 'Cathy,' and was asked to recruit people to provide classified information. In one case, Pauken was instructed to meet with a person identified in the affidavit as 'Person 1' and provide the person a Samsung phone, a computer, and passwords for Signal and Telegram, as well as NetDisk.

Pauken was stopped by Customs and Border Protection agents when he returned to the US in January 2025. In interviews with CBP and FBI agents, Pauken said he was '80 per cent sure' that the person who was seeking a job in the Trump administration would provide classified information.

The case is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions involving people accused of working for the Chinese government without proper disclosure, as tensions between Washington and Beijing remain high. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A Eisenberg stated that 'Pauken betrayed his country for money' for supporting 'Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) operations, recruiting, and gathering of sensitive information from potential assets.'

Pauken's lawyer, Charles Burnham, said that 'Mr Pauken has accepted responsibility and respects the court's sentence,' adding that 'as the government agreed in court, Mr Pauken did not provide any classified information to the Chinese.' Pauken was also sentenced to 36 months of supervised release with no overseas travel.

The sentencing of Pauken highlights the ongoing tensions between the US and China, and the efforts of the US government to crack down on individuals working on behalf of foreign governments without proper disclosure. The case also raises concerns about the influence of foreign governments on American citizens and the potential risks to national security.

In recent years, there have been several cases of American citizens being prosecuted for working on behalf of foreign governments, including China. The US government has taken steps to increase transparency and disclosure requirements for individuals working on behalf of foreign governments, and to prevent the misuse of sensitive information.

The sentencing of Pauken serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and disclosure in the work of journalists and other individuals who may be influenced by foreign governments. It also highlights the need for ongoing vigilance and cooperation between law enforcement agencies to prevent the misuse of sensitive information and to protect national security.

In conclusion, the sentencing of Thomas Weir Pauken II to two years in federal prison for acting as an undeclared Chinese government agent and supporting intelligence operations is a significant development in the ongoing efforts of the US government to crack down on individuals working on behalf of foreign governments without proper disclosure. The case highlights the importance of transparency and disclosure, and the need for ongoing vigilance and cooperation between law enforcement agencies to protect national security.