An American journalist and political commentator who has lived in China for more than a decade has been charged in the US with acting as an unregistered agent for the Chinese government, according to US media reports published on Monday.
Court documents cited by Politico said Thomas Pauken II allegedly prepared confidential reports for a Chinese handler who claimed the information would be passed to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
According to an FBI affidavit, Pauken told investigators he believed there was an “80 percent chance” that an associate he introduced to Chinese contacts would provide classified information to China. The unnamed individual later joined a US government agency, the report said.
The affidavit also alleged that Pauken provided the individual with a cellphone and laptop and later offered a $10,000 bonus in exchange for weekly reports intended to influence US policy and be read by Xi.
Pauken was arrested by the FBI in February and remains in custody after a judge denied his request for pretrial release, according to court records cited by the outlet.
His attorney, Charles Burnham, denied that the allegations amounted to espionage.
“Mr Pauken is not charged with spying or mishandling classified information,” Burnham said.
