Yaoning “Mike” Sun, a California man and legal Chinese citizen, has agreed to plead guilty to acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government from 2022 to 2024.

Sun operated in Southern California as a campaign advisor for a local politician, helping to influence local elections favoring pro-Beijing interests.

The big picture: His plea deal was signed in early October 2025 and is expected to be entered in Los Angeles court on Monday; if accepted, he could face up to 10 years in prison. • Under U.S. law, Sun was required to notify the attorney general about acting as a foreign agent, but he failed to do so.

Driving the news: Sun is accused of conspiring with Chen Jun, another Chinese agent sentenced to 20 months in prison in New York for similar violations. • According to the pl

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