An American journalist and the son of a Texas Republican politician has been charged with acting as a Chinese agent, court records show.
Thomas Pauken II, who has lived in China for more than a decade and worked for multiple Chinese state media outlets, was allegedly paid at least $100,000 for working with an individual within the Ministry of State Security, which is tasked with espionage operations, according to an unsealed affidavit.
The handler, a woman he called Cathy, told her that the materials he provided were read by Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the filings state.
Pauken was arrested in March and is facing a plea hearing on May 29 in Alexandria, Virginia….