An American citizen sentenced to two years in federal prison will also serve 36 months of supervised release with no overseas travel for acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government within the United States, according to officials.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said the defendant, Thomas Weir Pauken II, 51, used his U.S. citizenship and ability to travel freely to assist operations of China’s Ministry of State Security, including recruiting and seeking sensitive information. Eisenberg said Pauken “betrayed his country for money,” and emphasized that the department will hold accountable those who support Chinese espionage efforts.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Theophani K. Stamos for the Eastern District of Virginia said Pauken knowingly aided a foreign adversary over a seven-year period for financial gain. Stamos said his conduct facilitated others in undermining U.S. interests.
Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division said Pauken admitted working at the direction of China’s Ministry of State Security to try to enter U.S. political circles and to identify new recruitment targets. Rozhavsky said the case shows the lengths the Chinese Communist Party will go to weaken U.S. institutions and the FBI’s resolve to protect national security. He said the sentencing warns that anyone operating as an agent of a foreign government against the United States will be found and held accountable.
American citizen sentenced after years of covert taskings
Court filings state that from at least 2019 until February 2026, Pauken acted under the direction and control of people he knew worked for the People’s Republic of China. That included an individual he met in 2017 known as “Cathy,” who tasked him to meet potential intelligence assets, provide them with devices such as a laptop and cellphone to communicate with her, deliver instructions on what information to collect, and send her reports from those assets.
According to the documents, Pauken received at least $100,000 for his work with Cathy. She also funded multiple trips between 2019 and 2025 from China to the United States for meetings with individuals who could provide information to Pauken and, ultimately, to Cathy and the MSS.
Prosecutors said Pauken also worked for two other China-based contacts he met in 2017, known to him as “Richard” and “William.” Although they told Pauken his reports were destined for Japan, he believed they worked for the PRC government.
In addition, Pauken sold reports to a group of individuals from Wuhan seeking information about technology and the U.S. Department of Justice. Those clients sought an expert to help them engage in cyber espionage, according to the filings.
The FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office led the investigation with assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gavin R. Tisdale of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Eli Ross of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.