An American journalist was sentenced Tuesday to two years in federal prison after admitting that he acted as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government and provided information to a contact in China, according to Just the News.
According to the outlet, Thomas Pauken II pleaded guilty in June after prosecutors said he produced confidential reports on U.S.-China relations and attempted to connect his Chinese handler with American experts and a Trump administration official. Pauken had been in federal custody since his arrest in February at a Washington hotel.
Authorities alleged that Pauken, who spent more than a decade living in China, received about $100,000 over seven years for work carried out on behalf of the Chinese government. Court records cited an affidavit filed in May stating that he prepared reports for a Chinese contact who told him the material was being forwarded to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The FBI arrested Pauken after he allegedly encouraged a Trump administration official to communicate with a woman in China whom Pauken believed was a Chinese intelligence operative. Prosecutors said he developed relationships with people in the United States as part of an arrangement with Chinese intelligence.
Prosecutor Eli Ross said during the sentencing hearing, according to Politico, “He did it for money. He made a lot of money.”
At the hearing, Pauken characterized his conduct as “shocking” and “terrible,” while saying he had believed his actions could help improve relations between Washington and Beijing. He acknowledged that he had shared what he described as secrets with Chinese officials.
“I thought I was helping, but now I realize I could’ve caused even more damage, including war,” Pauken told the court.
U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema said Pauken did not provide classified information to Chinese officials. However, she said the case remained serious because his handler had sought classified material and because Pauken tried to facilitate contact between the handler and a U.S. administration official.