US journalist gets 2-year prison term for working as Chinese government agent

Texas-born journalist Thomas Weir Pauken II, 51, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for acting as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government in the US, the Justice Department said.Pauken, who pleaded guilty earlier this year, was also sentenced to 36 months of supervised release and barred from travelling overseas during that period. His lawyer, Charles Burnham, said Pauken has accepted the sentence and does not plan to appeal.Federal prosecutors said Pauken worked at the direction of individuals linked to China's government from at least 2019 until his arrest in February 2026. He received at least USD 100,000 for his work, which included writing reports and helping with efforts to recruit people who could provide sensitive information.According to court documents, Pauken worked with a person identified as "Cathy", who allegedly told him that his reports were being read by Chinese President Xi Jinping.He was also instructed to provide a potential recruit with a Samsung phone, computer and access to encrypted messaging platforms.Pauken moved to China in 2010 and worked for several Chinese media organisations, including state broadcaster CCTV. He later became an editor at Xinhua, China's state-run news agency, in 2024.US authorities said Pauken was stopped by Customs and Border Protection agents when he returned to the country in January 2025.During questioning, he acknowledged that he believed a person seeking a position in the Trump administration was likely to provide classified information to China, according to an FBI affidavit.However, his lawyer said the government acknowledged in court that Pauken did not provide any classified information to China.Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A Eisenberg accused Pauken of supporting Chinese Ministry of State Security operations, including recruitment and the gathering of sensitive information.Pauken, a Texas native, used the professional alias Tom McGregor while working as a commentator and writer in China. He also authored books on US-China relations and Shenzhen.The case comes amid a series of US prosecutions involving alleged Chinese government agents accused of operating in the country without making the required disclosures.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.