American citizen pleads guilty to spying for China

An American citizen has pleaded guilty to spying for China and acting as a paid middleman for collecting sensitive U.S. information. Thomas Pauken faces up to 10 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for September 1, 2026, as reported by Tech Radar.

Thomas Weir Pauken II, 50, admitted to conspiring with multiple individuals to exfiltrate data for the Chinese government. Court documents revealed that in 2017, Pauken met with an operative identified as "Cathy," who provided him with hardware and instructions to gather specific information. He received at least $100,000 and travel expenses for these activities.

Pauken also worked with others, believing they were Chinese intelligence handlers, and sold reports to individuals in Wuhan interested in U.S. technology and the Department of Justice. The FBI stated that Pauken attempted to infiltrate U.S. political circles and gather intelligence for China's Ministry of State Security.

Source: Tech Radar