Former Arcadia mayor's guilty plea to being illegal agent of China concerns residents

Former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang has pleaded guilty to being an illegal agent of the Chinese government.

The news filled the unassuming suburban city outside of Los Angeles with anger, disappointment, and murmurs of quiet concern.

Fears about spies and Chinese Communist Party influence abounded on social media.

Arcadia’s population of about 53,000 is majority Asian, like many other cities in the region.

Some residents worry Wang's indictment could bring unfair scrutiny on the broader Chinese and Asian American community.

Acting Mayor Paul Cheng called the news a “slap in the face.”