A Southern California resident has been accused of spying for the People’s Republic of China. Yaoning “Mike” Sun, 64, of Chino Hills, was arrested on Thursday and charged with working as an illegal agent of the Chinese government.

Federal prosecutors allege that Sun worked closely with John Chen, another Chinese national recently convicted of similar charges. Chen, 71, was sentenced last month to 20 months in federal prison after admitting to working on behalf of the PRC and attempting to bribe an IRS employee.

The Department of Justice claims Sun and Chen conspired to influence local elections by supporting candidates viewed as favorable to Beijing’s foreign policy. Their primary goal was to secure influence over officials sympathetic to China’s stance on Taiwan.

Court documents reveal that Sun served as the campaign manager for a local candidate, identified only as “Individual 1,” who was elected to a Southern California city council in 2022. Sun allegedly provided Chen with regular updates on the candidate’s status, which Chen reportedly relayed to the Chinese Communist Party.

A photo included in the complaint shows Chen shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Investigators allege the photo highlights Chen’s connections to high-ranking officials in Beijing.

Sun is also tied to Arcadia City Council member Eileen Wang, having served as her campaign treasurer. Both are reportedly connected to U.S. News Center, a California-based media organization. Wang has not been accused of wrongdoing and has declined to comment on the matter.