An American journalist who built a career inside China's state media system is now facing a federal criminal charge in the United States, accused of quietly working on behalf of Beijing while cultivating contacts tied to Washington.
Thomas Pauken II, a political commentator and writer who spent years living in China under the pseudonym Tom McGregor, was arrested by the FBI earlier this year and charged with acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government.
Prosecutors allege Pauken prepared confidential reports for Chinese intelligence-linked contacts and attempted to connect them with a person seeking work in the Trump administration.
His lawyer insists the allegations are being overstated.
'It's critical to understand that Mr. Pauken is not charged with spying or mishandling classified information,' attorney Charles Burnham said in a statement. 'The government's complaint charges that Mr. Pauken did professional work for a foreign government without first completing certain required paperwork.'
'Pauken Is Not Charged With Spying'
Court documents suggest federal investigators were alarmed enough by Pauken's activities to monitor him for more than a year before finally arresting him in February. For roughly 10 days after Pauken's first court appearance in Virginia, the proceedings remained sealed almost entirely from public view.
According to an FBI affidavit submitted by Special Agent Timothy Healy, Pauken told investigators he was '80 percent sure' an associate he introduced to his Chinese handler would eventually provide classified information to Beijing.
That unnamed individual, according to the affidavit, did not receive the exact Trump administration job initially sought but 'currently works for a US government agency'.
The filing does not identify the person or indicate whether they face criminal exposure. Prosecutors have declined to comment.
Reports Allegedly Intended for Xi Jinping
Investigators say Pauken maintained contact with individuals connected to China's Ministry of State Security while living abroad and working with state-controlled Chinese media organisations, including China Global Television Network, China Radio International and Xinhua.
The FBI alleges Pauken's Chinese handler told him that reports he prepared were ultimately being passed to Chinese President Xi Jinping.
According to the affidavit, Pauken also agreed to take a polygraph examination at the request of his Chinese contact. Prosecutors further allege he delivered a mobile phone and laptop computer to another person in the US who was attempting to secure a position within the Trump administration.
Pauken was monitored by Washington from a monitored hotel meeting after returning from China earlier this year. The FBI watched as Pauken handed over a SIM card and discussed a potential arrangement involving payments of $10,000 (£7,424.05) bonuses in exchange for weekly reports that would 'influence policy' and allegedly be read by Xi.
Shortly after the meeting, Pauken was arrested.
A Conservative Family Name Pulled Into the Case
Pauken's background is why it's treated as political sensitivity. He is the son of former Reagan administration official Tom Pauken, a longtime Texas Republican figure who later chaired the Texas Workforce Commission under former governor Rick Perry. The elder Pauken also served as chairman of the Texas Republican Party during the 1990s.
According to the FBI affidavit, the younger Pauken adopted the pseudonym Tom McGregor partly because his father did not want to be publicly connected to his son's extensive work inside China.
Investigators claim Pauken told the FBI that many of his Chinese associates were deeply interested in gathering information about his father and his political relationships.
Pauken himself became a familiar English-language commentator within Chinese state media. In 2019, he published 'US Vs China: From Trade War to Reciprocal Deal,' presenting what he described as a balanced assessment of relations between the two powers.
A pre-indictment plea hearing has been scheduled before US District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Virginia. Such hearings often signal ongoing negotiations between prosecutors and defence lawyers.
