The American Journalist, Thomas Pauken II, sought to recruit a Trump administration official for Chinese intelligence.
Alexandria, Va., Sept.3.– An American who worked with Chinese intelligence for years and worked for Chinese state media agencies has been sentenced to two years in prison for acting as a Chinese agent.
Thomas Pauken II, who pleaded guilty in June, took in $100,000 over seven years from his Chinese handler to write reports that the intelligence officer said would go directly to Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
The 51-year-old was arrested in February, days after trying to recruit a Trump administration official for his handler. In the sentencing hearing on Sept. 1, U.S. prosecutor Eli Ross described the case as “emblematic” of Chinese espionage.
He said that Pauken had acted out of a “conscious decision” even though he “knew what was right.” He noted Chinese news articles under Pauken’s name and the deletion of communication records to evade U.S. detection.
Despite a 2025 FBI warning, Ross said, Pauken had continued working for Chinese authorities ...
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