Thomas Weir Pauken II, a 51-year-old American journalist, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for acting as an illegal agent for China within the United States. Pauken, who pleaded guilty earlier this year, will also serve 36 months of supervised release and is prohibited from traveling overseas. He was arrested in February.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg stated that Pauken "betrayed his country for money" by supporting "Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) operations, recruiting, and gathering of sensitive information from potential assets." Pauken worked as a journalist for various Chinese news organizations after moving to China in 2010, including stints at state broadcaster CCTV and most recently as an editor for Xinhua, China's state news agency, a position he held since 2024.
According to court documents, Pauken worked under the direction of individuals he knew were affiliated with China's government, including a contact identified as "Cathy." He received at least $100,000 for this work between 2019 and February 2026. "Cathy" reportedly informed Pauken that his reports were read by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Beyond writing reports, Pauken was also tasked with recruiting individuals to provide classified information. In one instance, he was instructed to provide a target with a phone, computer, and secure messaging applications. Pauken was stopped by Customs and Border Protection agents upon his return to the U.S. in January 2025. During interviews with CBP and FBI agents, Pauken stated he was "80 percent sure" that an individual seeking a position in the Trump administration would supply classified information to China, though Pauken advised against it.
Pauken's lawyer, Charles Burnham, indicated that Pauken accepts responsibility and respects the court's decision, noting that his client "did not provide any classified information to the Chinese." Pauken's father, Thomas W. Pauken, is a former chairman of the Texas Republican Party and a past gubernatorial candidate in Texas.
The case is one of several federal prosecutions in recent years involving individuals accused of working for the Chinese government without proper disclosure, amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Beijing.