Renowned for his role as Cosmo Kramer on “Seinfeld,” Michael Richards made a rare public appearance this past Sunday, marking his first sighting in nearly two years.

Richards captured audiences nearly 30 years ago as the quirky neighbor with a knack for comedic entrances, endearing himself to fans of the iconic sitcom.

However, his career took a nosedive in 2006 when he launched into a highly publicized, racially charged tirade during a stand-up performance, which severely tarnished his reputation.

Following the incident, Richards withdrew from the limelight, becoming somewhat of a recluse in the entertainment industry.

In the past couple of years, though, he has been working towards a comeback, releasing a memoir and embarking on a comedy tour. Just recently, he was spotted shopping along Melrose Place in Los Angeles.

Reclusive Seinfeld icon Michael Richards was seen during a rare public sighting in West Hollywood on Sunday

The actor portrayed Cosmo Kramer on Seinfeld alongside costars Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine Benes, Jason Alexander as George Costanza and Jerry Seinfeld as Jerry Seinfeld

Richards, clad in a button down jacket and jeans, was spotted making his way down a the trendy block during the Mother’s Day outing. 

Although in his mid-seventies, the star still sports the thick curly hair that became his trademark while playing Kramer.  

It appeared Richards was alone for the outing, without his wife Beth Skipp, to whom he has been married since 2010. 

The couple has one son, aged 15. Richards also has a 51-year-old daughter from his first marriage, which ended in the early 1990s.  

It’s been nearly 20 years since Richards became a Hollywood outcast following his infamous racist meltdown at the Laugh Factor.

In a 2024 interview with People to promote his memoir Entrances and Exits, he recalled feeling ‘immediately sorry the moment’ he used the N-word on stage. 

‘My anger was all over the place and it came through hard and fast,’ he explained. ‘Anger is quite a force. But it happened. Rather than run from it, I dove into the deep end and tried to learn from it. It hasn’t been easy.’

The three-time Emmy winner continued: ‘Crisis managers wanted me to do damage control. But as far as I was concerned, the damage was inside of me.’

He noted that he’s spent the past 17 years in ‘deep analysis’ to ‘figure out where all the anger was coming from.’

People noted that Richards has struggled with feeling not wanted after growing up with a single mom, ‘who had initially wanted an abortion, but they were illegal and dangerous at the time.’

Richards was spotted shopping on Melrose Place on Mother’s Day 

He wore a button down jacket, jeans, and boots

Richards said that he believes his rage stemmed from his own insecurities and fears of not being accepted.

While speaking of the incident in 2006, Richards insisted he is ‘not racist’ and has ‘nothing against Black people.’

‘The man who told me I wasn’t funny had just said what I’d been saying to myself for a while. I felt put down. I wanted to put him down,’ he explained.

In November 2006, shocking footage of Richards emerged of him repeatedly calling an audience member, who interrupted his act, a racial slur.

‘Throw his ass out…He’s a n*****! Look there’s a n*****!’ Richards can be heard saying in the video.

During his meltdown, Richards repeatedly branded black members of the audience ‘n******’ while yelling: ‘Fifty years ago we’d have you upside down with a f***ing fork up your a***.’

Following the shocking incident, he went on David Letterman to express his regret as he stated: ‘I’m really busted up over this and I’m very, very sorry. I am not a racist, that’s what’s so insane about this. I said some pretty nasty things to some African-Americans, a lot of trash talk.’

The father-of-two continued: ‘You know, I’m a performer… I push the envelope; I work in a very uncontrolled manner on stage. I do a lot of free association, it’s spontaneous, I go into character.’

According to The Guardian, at the time, his two-minute tirade left the audience ‘confused’ and ‘uncertain whether the extreme language was part of Richards’ act.’

Richards appeared solo as he stopped by the trendy LA block

The wildly-popular sitcom about a group of New Yorkers aired from 1989 to 1998

Kramer was a beloved character who drew applause merely by making his entrance

Richards, pictured 2024, has largely stayed out of the spotlight 

The publication noted that, at one point, ‘the target of Richards’ comments shouted back at Richards several times, telling him that the insults were uncalled for.’

Even while starring as Cosmo Kramer on Seinfeld, Richards said he ‘couldn’t connect to the joy of being an artist.’

‘I was a good character actor, but I was comfortable being the character, not in being me,’ he reflected.

His insecurities even had him turn down ‘the offer of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame’ because he ‘didn’t feel deserving.’

‘I said no to hosting Saturday Night Live twice because I didn’t feel good enough. I was never really satisfied with my Seinfeld performance. Fame magnified my insecurities,’ the actor admitted.

Richards also revealed in his book that he had been diagnosed with stage one prostate cancer in 2018. 

‘I thought, ‘Well, this is my time. I’m ready to go,’” he shared with People. “But then my son came to mind just a few seconds later and I heard myself saying, “I’ve got a 9-year-old and I’d like to be around for him. Is there any way I can get a little more life going?”‘

Public outrage surged online after a tumultuous incident involving police and a shooting in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Monday. Critics have highlighted the gunman’s extensive criminal record, following reports that he opened fire along a busy street.

Footage aired by FOX 25 Boston seems to capture the suspect, identified by Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan as Tyler Brown, walking down the road and discharging a firearm as vehicles drive past. This alarming scene prompted a significant law enforcement reaction.

According to the station, the video purportedly shows the suspect being shot, though the specific moment was not included in the shared clip.

Massachusetts State Police reported that troopers arrived at the scene around 1:20 p.m. following a shooting incident involving law enforcement personnel near the intersection of Memorial Drive and River Street.

Officers secured the area around Memorial Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the aftermath of the police-involved shooting on Monday, May 11, 2026. (Credit: WFXT)

“EMS has responded to the scene to treat at least one individual for a gunshot wound,” the agency said, adding that no additional details about the circumstances were immediately available.

Cambridge Police Department (CPD) said officers were called shortly after 1:30 p.m. for reports of gunshots in the same area, noting there is no ongoing danger to the public.

Police vehicles and officers shut down a roadway near Memorial Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts, following a police-involved shooting on Monday, May 11, 2026. (Credit: WFXT)

“CPD and State Police are on-scene, however there is no on-going danger to the public,” the department said in a statement, asking residents to avoid the area.

Ryan said the incident began after Boston police alerted authorities about a man acting erratically who was believed to be armed with a rifle.

By the time officers arrived, the situation had escalated into what officials described as an active shooter incident, with the suspect walking down the middle of Memorial Drive and firing in an erratic manner as traffic came to a halt.

“In the course of doing that, two males in vehicles separately were struck by gunfire,” Ryan said.

Authorities said a Massachusetts State Police trooper and an armed civilian — described as a former Marine licensed to carry — confronted the suspect as people fled their vehicles and sought cover.

Both the trooper and the civilian fired their weapons, striking Brown multiple times in the extremities, Ryan said. Brown was treated at the scene and transported to a Boston hospital, where he remains in custody.

The two victims who were shot while inside their vehicles were also taken to Boston hospitals with life-threatening injuries, officials said.

Ryan said a “very high number of rounds — in the neighborhood of 50 to 60 — were fired in a very short period of time” during the incident.

Brown is expected to face multiple charges, including two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, along with weapons offenses.

Boston 25 News reported that Brown has a criminal history spanning nearly two decades, citing court records tied to a man with the same name and date of birth that include prior firearm and drug convictions. The outlet reported that in 2020, Brown fired multiple rounds at Boston police officers while already on probation in a separate case.

The report said prosecutors at the time sought a significantly longer sentence, but a judge imposed a shorter term that drew criticism from the district attorney’s office.

Reaction to Brown’s reported criminal history quickly spread online, with Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy writing on social media that “the judge who let this guy off easy should go to prison.”

Massachusetts Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue weighed in on the shooting, vowing to push to ensure that repeat offenders like Brown are not given lenient sentences or parole.

“The fundamental role of the governor is to uphold the law and keep our communities safe. When our criminal justice system throws common sense out the window and allows dangerous, violent people to get out of prison quickly or early, it means innocent moms, dads, and kids may be killed,” Minogue said in a statement. “I am grateful to the officers who stopped today’s attack and saved lives.”

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey reiterated in a post on X that there is no ongoing threat to the public following the shooting.

“I’m closely monitoring the situation on Memorial Drive. @MassStatePolice are on the scene and working alongside local law enforcement to investigate. There is no ongoing threat to the public,” she wrote. “However, residents and commuters are strongly encouraged to avoid the area to allow public safety personnel to do their work. Grateful to first responders who worked quickly to keep people safe and secure the scene.”

Jeff Probst, the well-known host of “Survivor,” is mourning the loss of a cherished family member.

Brent Probst, one of Jeff’s brothers, took to Instagram on Monday to share the heartbreaking news of their brother Scott’s passing.

“We have some sad news. Our brother Scott is no longer with us,” Brent wrote in his post. “He was a wonderful brother, son, and friend. I will miss him dearly ❤️ I’m heartbroken that he’s gone.”

The cause of Scott’s death has not been disclosed.

Page Six has reached out to Jeff Probst’s representatives for comments, but there has been no immediate response.

According to his IMDb page, Scott previously worked with Jeff on ‘Survivor,’ working in the art department, the property department and the camera and electrical department in various roles between 2006 and 2012.

He also worked in video games, serving as production coordinator on 2003’s “Medal of Honor: Rising Sun” and as producer on 2005’s “Medal of Honor: European Assault” and 2010’s “Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight.”

This isn’t the only way “Survivor” has been a family affair over the years.

Brent’s daughter, Abigail, joined the “Dream Team” — the group of crew members who test the CBS reality show’s challenges and assist in various departments — in 2024 and is back for the landmark 50th season, currently airing.

“She kicks ass,” Jeff told People of Abigail’s efforts. “She came in with a last name that put a little bit of a spotlight on her, but she got the job on her own. She got asked back on her own.”

“And I know it’s a little weird because the last name is Probst, but had she not earned it, she wouldn’t be back,” he added.

Though Jeff rarely speaks about his family in interviews, he has opened up about how being raised in Kansas, before his family moved to Washington state when he was 15, influenced his life.

“I’ve lived in Seattle, New York and Los Angeles and traveled all over the world with ‘Survivor,’ but there is nowhere else I would have rather grown up than Wichita, Kansas,” he told the Topeka Capital-Journal in 2016.

“I had great friendships. I made great memories, and I was raised with strong values,” he added. “I choose to believe those early years gave me the foundation I would later need to withstand the challenges of Hollywood.”

“Survivor” paid tribute to Jeff’s mother, Barbara, after her death in 2024.

“Dedicated to Barb, the biggest ‘Survivor’ fan of all time,” an on-screen in memoriam read at the end of a Season 47 episode. “See you on our next adventure.”

In a tribute shared to Instagram at the time, Brent revealed their mother “had full-time care for dementia” over the past few years and “died one week before her 86th birthday.”

“She was the best mom, grandma and just a fantastic person full of love and life,” he wrote. “She had a great life and I am certain that I am a good person because she and my dad raised me with love and humor. I will miss her every single day for the rest of my life.”

A cargo aircraft model involved in a Kentucky crash last autumn has resumed operations following a tragic incident where an engine detached from a UPS jet during takeoff.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing’s solution for the MD-11 aircraft has been greenlit after a thorough evaluation. Consequently, FedEx has reinstated these planes into their delivery routes as of Sunday.

The UPS aircraft met disaster in November 2025, when its left engine dislodged from the wing amidst takeoff, leading to a catastrophic crash. The incident resulted in the deaths of three pilots aboard the Hawaii-bound plane, along with 12 individuals on the ground in the vicinity of Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport.

Boeing crafted a strategy to replace a critical spherical bearing and enhance inspections of the engine-mounting components. The National Transportation Safety Board noted that Boeing had identified four similar failures in 2011 on the MD-11’s engine mounts across different aircraft but concluded it did not pose an immediate flight safety risk. Originally produced by McDonnell Douglas, these aircraft came under Boeing’s umbrella following an acquisition.

Following the crash, the FAA grounded all MD-11 aircraft due to safety concerns. Earlier this year, UPS decided to retire its entire MD-11 fleet, which constituted about 9% of their total aircraft. However, FedEx remained determined to reinstate these planes, which represent approximately 4% of its fleet. Meanwhile, Western Global Airlines, another MD-11 operator, has not publicly commented on the incident or the FAA’s recent approval and did not respond to inquiries.

FedEx said in a statement that it worked closely with Boeing, the FAA and its own experts to inspect and repair its planes, and the government certified that it had complied with Boeing’s recommendations. It owns 46 of these planes though even before the crash it had been storing more than two dozen of them.

“Safety is our highest priority at FedEx,” the company said.

But FedEx does plan to eventually retire its MD-11s and replace them with more efficient models. They had announced that long-term plan even before the crash.

Aviation lawyers who are representing some of the families that have sued over the Louisville crash said they hope the FAA made sure these planes will be safe.

“We hope the FAA does a thorough job of investigating the fixes before the MD-11 fleet is allowed to return to flight,” lawyer Bradley Cosgrove said.

But aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti said he’s surprised it took this long to get these planes flying again given how quickly the NTSB identified key concerns that likely contributed to the engine falling off. The NTSB is planning two days of investigative hearings on the UPS crash next week to delve deeper into what happened.

“I’m confident that the solution will work, and I would like to see the MD-11s back up in the air. It will be a safe airplane with regards to its engines after these corrective actions are made,” said Guzzetti, who used to investigate crashes for both the NTSB and FAA.

Some experts speculated after the crash that the MD-11s might never fly again if the repair proved to be more expensive that it was worth in these older planes. But Boeing found a way to address the safety concerns with just replacing the bearing and stepping up inspections.

___

The mayor of an affluent city in Southern California has stepped down after admitting to secretly working as an agent for the Chinese government, as revealed in a federal plea deal made public on Monday.

Eileen Wang, the former mayor of Arcadia, aged 58, has consented to plead guilty to the felony charge of operating as an unauthorized foreign agent for China. She was involved in promoting pro-Beijing propaganda within the United States.

This offense could lead to a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.

The unexpected revelation caused immediate upheaval in Arcadia, with city officials announcing Wang’s resignation from both the City Council and her position as mayor on Monday.

According to federal prosecutors, Wang had been collaborating with Chinese government officials for several years before securing an elected position in Los Angeles County.

They also claimed she used a Chinese-language news website to distribute propaganda favorable to Beijing while secretly coordinating with officials tied to the Chinese Communist Party.

Authorities have described the website as a fake news platform targeting Chinese Americans.

The case has also triggered intense scrutiny of Wang’s carefully crafted public image.

Campaign photos and promotional images used during her political rise depicted Wang in heavily polished and retouched portraits that projected a glamorous and approachable persona to voters.

Former Mayor of Arcadia, California Eileen Wang resigned on Monday after a federal plea agreement accusing her of acting as an illegal agent for China was unsealed

Wang’s polished campaign images and heavily retouched social media photos drew attention after unedited courtroom and public appearances revealed a striking contrast with reality

But unedited public images revealed a stark contrast to the stylized campaign photographs that once appeared across city political materials and social media.

Her dramatic downfall came just hours after the City of Arcadia announced Wang’s resignation from the City Council and her departure as mayor.

‘As of May 11, 2026 Eileen Wang resigned from the Arcadia City Council, vacating her position as Mayor,’ the city said in a statement posted online. 

‘At its next meeting, the City Council will select a Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem from among the remaining Councilmembers and will begin discussing how Arcadia’s District 3 will be represented until the next election cycle in November 2026.’

Wang was elected to the Arcadia City Council in November 2022 and later elevated to mayor through the city’s rotating leadership system.

But according to the Department of Justice, Wang’s ties to Chinese officials stretched back well before she ever took office.

Federal authorities say that from late 2020 through 2022, Wang worked alongside her then-fiancé, Yaoning ‘Mike’ Sun, under the ‘direction and control’ of officials tied to the Chinese government.

Together, prosecutors say, they operated a website called US News Center, which presented itself as a legitimate Chinese-American news outlet while allegedly serving as a propaganda vehicle for Beijing.

Chen Jun (pictured), who Yaoning ‘Mike’ Sun allegedly conspired with, was sentenced to prison in November for bribery and acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government

China used Wang’s then fiance, Yaoning ‘Mike’ Sun to spy on Taiwan via the US. Chen has been described as closely tied to China’s intelligence apparatus and who had personally met Chinese President Xi Jinping at elite Communist Party events (Xi and Chen are seen above)

Wang was elected to the Arcadia City Council in November 2022 before later becoming mayor through the city’s rotating leadership system

According to court filings, Chinese officials sent Wang articles and directives through the encrypted messaging app WeChat, instructing her and others to publish content favorable to the Chinese Communist Party.

One of the most explosive examples outlined in the plea agreement involved propaganda denying allegations of genocide and forced labor in China’s Xinjiang region.

On June 10, 2021, a Chinese government official allegedly sent Wang a pre-written article titled ‘China’s Stance on the Xinjiang Issue.’

‘There is no genocide in Xinjiang; there is no such thing as ‘forced labor’ in any production activity, including cotton production. Spreading such rumor is to defame China, destroy Xinjiang’s safety and stability,’ the message read, according to prosecutors.

Court documents say Wang reposted the material to her website within minutes and then sent the official a link proving it had been published.

‘So fast, thank you everyone,’ the official allegedly responded.

Authorities say Wang repeatedly reported analytics and audience engagement data back to Chinese officials after publishing propaganda articles.

In one August 2021 exchange cited in the plea agreement, Wang sent screenshots showing an article had received more than 15,000 views after officials requested edits to the story.

‘Great!’ the official responded, according to prosecutors.

‘Thank you leader,’ Wang replied.

Federal prosecutors say Wang never disclosed that the Chinese government was directing the content appearing on her website.

The case became even more alarming to investigators because Wang ultimately ascended into public office.

‘Individuals in our country who covertly do the bidding of foreign governments undermine our democracy,’ First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement announcing the plea agreement.

Federal authorities say Wang helped operate a website called US News Center that posed as a Chinese-American news outlet to distribute pro-Beijing propaganda inside the United States

Federal investigators say Wang’s alleged propaganda network intersected with operatives tied to high-level Chinese Communist Party functions attended by Xi Jinping, raising alarm about Beijing’s influence efforts inside the United States

Wang has agreed to plead guilty to one felony count that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison

‘This plea agreement is the latest success in our determination to defend the homeland against China’s efforts to corrupt our institutions,’ he added.

Essayli later issued an even more chilling warning about the implications of the case.

‘Ms. Wang is just the latest to act as an agent for the PRC and it should terrify Americans that she was able to rise to the highest levels of local office in her city,’ he said.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said Wang’s rise to political office while allegedly maintaining undisclosed ties to Chinese officials represented a serious national security concern.

‘Individuals elected to public office in the United States should act only for the people of the United States that they represent,’ Eisenberg said.

‘It is deeply concerning that someone who previously received and executed directives from PRC government officials is now in a position of public trust at all, but particularly so because that relationship with that foreign government had never been disclosed,’ he added.

The FBI also issued stark warnings alongside the announcement.

‘By her own admission, Eileen Wang secretly served the interests of the Chinese government,’ said Roman Rozhavsky, assistant director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division.

‘Let this serve as a clear warning: Individuals who act on behalf of foreign governments to influence our democracy will be identified, investigated, and brought to justice,’ Rozhavsky added.

Patrick Grandy, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, said Americans should be ‘alarmed’ by the allegations.

‘All Americans should be alarmed to learn an elected official was brazenly spreading propaganda on behalf of the Chinese government,’ Grandy said.

According to prosecutors, Wang’s activities also connected her to figures already convicted in separate federal China-related cases.

Her former fiancé, Sun, pleaded guilty in 2025 to acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government and is now serving a four-year federal prison sentence.

Federal authorities say Sun played a key role in cultivating Wang politically while allegedly working with Chinese handlers hoping she would gain influence in California government.

Prosecutors say Wang and Sun coordinated with Chinese officials while building Wang’s political profile in Arcadia.

Sun also served as campaign manager for Wang’s successful City Council run.

In another extraordinary detail revealed in court documents, Wang allegedly communicated in November 2021 with John Chen – described by prosecutors as a high-level figure connected to China’s intelligence apparatus who had personally met Chinese President Xi Jinping and attended elite Communist Party events.

According to the plea agreement, Wang asked Chen to share one article from her website and wrote: ‘This is what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wants to send.’

Chen was later sentenced in federal court in New York after pleading guilty to acting as an illegal agent of China and conspiracy to bribe a public official.

Wang had previously tried to distance herself from Sun after he was charged in 2024.

‘We broke up the fiance relationship,’ Wang told the Arcadia City Council at the time. ‘We keep the friendship.’

Facing growing public outrage, Wang refused to resign then and insisted she was ‘not responsible for the action of others.’

But Monday’s plea agreement dramatically changed the picture.

In the filing, Wang admitted she acted under the control of Chinese officials inside the United States and acknowledged she never notified the US Attorney General that she was operating as an agent of a foreign government.

She also admitted she failed to disclose that some content on her website had been posted at the direction of Chinese officials.

A former California mayor has been charged with operating as an illegal agent for the People’s Republic of China. In a surprising turn of events, Eileen Wang, once the mayor of Arcadia, California, has agreed to plead guilty to these serious accusations, federal prosecutors revealed. They allege she was involved in promoting pro-Beijing narratives within the United States prior to assuming her official role.

The Justice Department announced that Wang faces charges for acting as an unauthorized agent of China. Her plea agreement acknowledges her culpability in the felony offense. As a result, Wang could be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in federal prison, in addition to a fine that could reach $250,000. A federal judge will ultimately decide her sentence.

Prosecutors assert that Wang admitted to working under the “direction and control” of Chinese officials from at least 2020 to 2022. During this period, she reportedly collaborated with U.S.-based individuals to disseminate messages favorable to Beijing, all without disclosing her activities to the U.S. Attorney General, as mandated by law. These actions took place before she joined the Arcadia City Council in December 2022.

Arcadia’s city officials have clarified that Wang’s case pertains solely to her personal actions and does not affect the city’s operations. They have distanced the local government from her activities, emphasizing that they are not implicated.

Commenting on the case, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg stressed the importance of integrity in public office. “Individuals elected to public office in the United States should act only for the people of the United States that they represent,” he stated, underscoring the expectation for elected officials to prioritize their constituents’ interests.

Eileen Wang, former mayor of Arcadia, California, who is accused of acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government, has agreed to plead guilty. (City of Arcadia – City Hall Facebook)

“It is deeply concerning that someone who previously received and executed directives from PRC government officials is now in a position of public trust at all.”

According to court documents, Wang worked alongside Yaoning “Mike” Sun, a convicted Chinese agent already serving a four-year federal prison sentence, to operate a website posing as a local Chinese American news outlet.

Prosecutors  described the website as a propaganda arm for the Chinese Communist Party, saying it published content supplied directly by Chinese officials. Bottom of Form

In one exchange, a Chinese government official sent Wang a pre-written article denying allegations of forced labor and genocide in Xinjiang.

Minutes later, Wang posted it online and sent back the link. The official replied, “So fast, thank you everyone.”

In another instance, after making edits at Beijing’s request and touting more than 15,000 views, Wang responded, “Thank you leader.”

The Department of Justice announced Wednesday that a CIA officer who provided Top Secret intelligence to China was sentenced to prison. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg)

Prosecutors also say Wang communicated with convicted PRC operative John Chen, a figure tied to China’s intelligence apparatus with connections to Chinese President Xi Jinping, asking him to distribute messaging and writing, “This is what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wants to send.”

“Individuals in our country who covertly do the bidding of foreign governments undermine our democracy,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said. “This plea agreement is the latest success in our determination to defend the homeland against China’s efforts to corrupt our institutions.”

The FBI framed the case as a warning about foreign interference in American politics.

The U.S. and Chinese flags are displayed side by side in an illustration on Jan. 30, 2023. A Chinese couple had their U.S. naturalization citizenship revoked by a federal judge due to wire fraud and theft of trade secret convictions. (Wang Gang/VCG via Getty Images)

“By her own admission, Eileen Wang secretly served the interests of the Chinese government,” said FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky. “Let this serve as a clear warning individuals who act on behalf of foreign governments to influence our democracy will be identified, investigated, and brought to justice.”

Despite the covert relationship, Wang was elected to the Arcadia City Council in November 2022 and later became mayor through the council’s rotating system. The conduct outlined by prosecutors occurred before she assumed office.

In her plea agreement, Wang admitted she never disclosed her work for the Chinese government either to federal authorities or to readers of her website and acknowledged she was acting inside the United States while doing so. She is expected to formally enter the guilty plea in federal court and has not yet been sentenced.

The agreement also makes clear that if Wang is not a U.S. citizen, her felony conviction could trigger deportation or denial of future citizenship. The plea agreement describes those as potential immigration consequences.

Wang has agreed to resign from public office and is expected to formally enter her guilty plea in the coming weeks as the FBI investigation continues.

Arcadia City Hall in California. Mayor Eileen Wang resigned after being charged in a federal case tied to acting as an illegal agent for China. (Jesse Watson/Fox News Digital)

Arcadia city officials said the case is tied to Wang’s individual conduct and does not impact city operations.

In a message to residents, City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto confirmed Wang has resigned from the City Council, vacating her role as mayor, following the federal charges.

“The allegations at the center of this case, that a foreign government sought to exert influence over a local elected official, are deeply troubling,” the city said in a statement. “We take them seriously.”

City officials said the conduct outlined in the case occurred before Wang took office in December 2022 and emphasized that no city resources or decision-making processes were affected.

“Following an internal review, we can confirm that no City finances, staff, or decision-making processes were involved,” the statement said.

Officials added that no other members of the City Council are under investigation and that city business is continuing as normal.