Thomas Weir Pauken II, a 50-year-old American, has pleaded guilty to spying for China over a six-year period, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Pauken admitted to infiltrating U.S. political circles and gathering intelligence on American targets, reporting back to his handlers in China. The FBI's Assistant Director of Counterintelligence, Roman Rozhavsky, stated that this case exemplifies the lengths the Chinese Communist Party will go to undermine U.S. democratic institutions. Pauken's activities took place from 2019 to February 2026, during which he worked under the direction of individuals he believed were associated with the Chinese government, including a handler known as Cathy. He received at least $100,000 and was involved in several trips to China for espionage purposes. This case comes shortly after California Mayor Eileen Wang admitted to acting as an illegal foreign agent for China. The Five Eyes intelligence coalition has recently warned that Chinese operatives are using legitimate job platforms to recruit Westerners for espionage, further highlighting the ongoing threat posed by Chinese espionage efforts.