An American citizen, Thomas Weir Pauken II, has pleaded guilty to spying for China. Pauken, 50, admitted to acting as an agent of the People's Republic of China (PRC) without notifying the U.S. government.
He faces a maximum term of ten years in jail and is set to be sentenced on September 1.
Pauken lived and worked in China for years, developing connections with individuals associated with the Chinese government and intelligence apparatus.
He worked under the direction of Chinese handlers, gathering intelligence on American targets and reporting it back to his Chinese intelligence handlers.
Pauken received over $100,000 from the Chinese government for his activities, which included selling sensitive government-related information to Wuhan-based Chinese people.
Pauken also worked for individuals in Japan, writing reports that were sent to the country.
