US Journalist Thomas Pauken Sentenced To 2 Years For Acting As Undeclared Chinese Government Agent And Supporting Intelligence Operations

American journalist Thomas Weir Pauken II, 51, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for acting as an agent of the Chinese government within the United States, according to the US Justice Department. Pauken pleaded guilty earlier this year and is not planning to appeal, as reported by @FBI and @FBIPhiladelphia. He will serve 36 months of supervised release with no overseas travel.

The case highlights the growing number of federal prosecutions involving individuals accused of working for the Chinese government without proper disclosure. Pauken was arrested in February and is accused of supporting "Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) operations, recruiting, and gathering of sensitive information from potential assets."

He worked as a journalist for various Chinese news organizations, including CCTV and state news agency Xinhua, from 2010 until 2024. According to court documents, Pauken received at least $100,000 in exchange for his work with a Chinese government agent known as "Cathy." He was paid for recruiting people to provide classified information and was also instructed to meet with a person referred to as "Person 1" to provide them with a Samsung phone, computer, and access to encrypted messaging apps. Pauken, a Texas native, used the alias "Tom McGregor" while working in China.