CASE UPDATE from @​FBIPhiladelphia and @​FBIWFO: American Citizen who Worked as an Agent for the PRC Sentenced to Two Years in Prison From at least 2019 until February 2026, Thomas Weir Pauken II, an American citizen who lived and worked in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), operated at the direction and control of people he knew worked for the PRC's Ministry of State Security (MSS). He met with potential intelligence assets, provided them taskings on information that was required, and provided reports to MSS contacts. Pauken received at least $100,000 for his work and traveled several times from China to meet with individuals in the U.S. who could provide him, and ultimately the MSS, with information. Read more about the investigation by the FBI: ↧ American Citizen who Worked as an Agent for the PRC Sentenced to Tw... Thomas Weir Pauken II, 51, an American citizen who lived and worked in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), was sentenced today to two years in prison and 36 months of supervised release with no overseas travel for acting as an agent of a foreign government within the United States.