US journalist sentenced to 2 years in federal prison
Summary
An American journalist, Thomas Weir Pauken II, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for working as an agent for the Chinese government in the United States. He pleaded guilty and will also face three years of supervised release with travel restrictions.Key Facts
- Pauken, 51, was sentenced for acting on behalf of the Chinese government without telling U.S. authorities.
- He worked for Chinese state media, including Xinhua and CCTV, after moving to China in 2010.
- Pauken received at least $100,000 and helped recruit people to gather sensitive information for China.
- He was arrested in February 2026 after returning to the U.S. and cooperating with investigators.
- Pauken admitted guilt but did not share classified U.S. information with China, according to his lawyer.
- He used the fake name Tom McGregor for some work to protect his family’s privacy.
- The case is part of broader U.S. efforts to stop undisclosed work by agents for foreign governments, especially China.
- Pauken’s father was a Texas Republican Party leader and political candidate in the 1990s.
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