Thomas Pauken II, an American who previously worked as an editor and commentator for Chinese state-owned media outlets, has admitted in a U.S. court to operating as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government.
Pauken, 51, entered a guilty plea on Thursday during a hearing in Alexandria, Virginia. While addressing the court, he acknowledged that he was unaware of the legal requirement to register before carrying out activities on behalf of a foreign government, but accepted that ignorance of the law was not a valid defence.
The case has drawn attention because of allegations that Pauken facilitated contact between a Chinese government-linked individual known as “Cathy” and a U.S. government official identified only as “Person 1” in court records.
According to an FBI affidavit, the unnamed official was still serving in the Trump administration as recently as February. Investigators alleged that Pauken provided the official with a mobile phone and a laptop, believing there was a high likelihood that classified information could eventually be passed to the Chinese contact.
However, Pauken reportedly told investigators that he advised the official against sharing sensitive government information.
Court documents also suggest that Pauken may have participated in an FBI-monitored operation at a Washington hotel shortly before his arrest.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed the identity of the government official involved, and federal agencies have declined to comment on whether the individual remains in government service or is facing investigation.
During Thursday’s proceedings, a brief exchange in court hinted at possible cooperation between Pauken and investigators. When Pauken referred to one of the legal documents as a “cooperation agreement,” Judge Leonie Brinkema immediately instructed that the term be removed from the record. The courtroom was later temporarily cleared and sealed for several minutes before proceedings resumed.
Although no additional details about cooperation were discussed publicly, prosecutors previously revealed during a March bail hearing that Pauken had signed a nondisclosure agreement with the FBI in 2025 and later violated it by informing Chinese contacts about the bureau’s interest in him.
At the hearing, Pauken’s attorney, Charles Burnham, emphasised that his client was not admitting to transferring classified information to Chinese officials.
Judge Brinkema agreed, noting that while Pauken did not provide classified material, he had shared information that was not publicly available.
Under the terms of his plea deal, Pauken must avoid any contact with foreign intelligence operatives or foreign government officials unless he receives prior approval from the FBI.
Following the hearing, Burnham released a statement saying his client had accepted responsibility for carrying out activities on behalf of China without completing the required U.S. registration procedures.
The lawyer added that Pauken believed he was working to strengthen peaceful relations between both countries and support religious freedom efforts in China.
Pauken, who spent roughly 15 years living in China, is scheduled to be sentenced on September 1. He faces a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
