This week, the FBI initiated a significant corruption probe in Southern California, targeting several local politicians and a media executive linked to Chinese-language outlets, raising concerns over potential foreign influence.
Authorities executed search warrants focused on key figures in the investigation: San Bernardino County Supervisor Kurt Hagman, Ontario MP Alan Wapner, and attorney Frank Lizarraga.
James Su, the CEO of EDI Media, a Chinese-American media entity, is also among the individuals being investigated.
FBI agents conducted searches at various homes and offices across Southern California, including properties associated with Hagman, Wapner, Lizarraga, and Su. They also examined EDI Media’s offices in West Covina and a Beverly Hills residence, collecting records tied to Ontario International Airport.
A source close to the inquiry described it as a public corruption investigation that may involve foreign influence.
While the FBI confirmed the address where the search warrant was executed, they haven’t disclosed the specific charges being investigated, and the details in the search warrant affidavit remain sealed.
No arrests have been made to date.
This operation comes amid ongoing investigations regarding alleged attempts by the Chinese government to strengthen its influence over U.S. officials and institutions.
Both Hagman and Wapner are part of the Ontario International Airport Authority board, with Wapner as the president.
FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller confirmed that a related search warrant was also executed at the airport, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. Additionally, records from Ontario City Hall have been subpoenaed.
Lizarraga is a well-known civil litigator, a trustee at the University of La Verne, and previously served as an Ontario Planning Commissioner.
The investigation follows the guilty plea of former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang, who admitted she was directed by the Chinese government to spread propaganda in the U.S.
Wang was accused of managing a website, US News Center, which disguised itself as a news source for Chinese Americans while promoting the Chinese government’s messages.
Notably, Su’s EDI Media contributed $500 to Wang’s campaign in October 2022.
Andrew Cowan, Su’s attorney, stated his client is an American citizen who has supported political campaigns on both sides; however, he expressed uncertainty regarding the FBI’s interest in properties linked to Su.
Cowan noted that Su is familiar only with Hagman among those involved in the search.
EDI Media, identified as the largest Chinese-American multimedia firm in the U.S., registered as a foreign agency in May 2022. The company previously published a U.S. version of a newspaper recognized as a “diplomatic mission” of the Chinese government.
The firm claims to generate over 2,000 hours of programming each year, reaching an audience of over 35 million globally.
Additionally, investigators searched a large mansion in Beverly Hills, which was sold in 2023 for $24.6 million to a Chinese family through companies, one of which was registered in Delaware.
This operation follows another federal raid in Lancaster, where agents searched City Hall and the homes of two City Council members over concerns related to communications with Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD, which operates a significant facility in the area.
No arrests have yet occurred.
The investigation has sparked worries among intelligence officials about the Chinese government’s attempts to increase its influence in the U.S. by establishing ties with local elected officials.
U.S. Rep. Norma Torres (D-Pomona) expressed concern over the FBI’s warrant against an elected official in San Bernardino County, emphasizing the community’s intolerance for corruption in government.
The FBI’s investigation is still active as agents pursue the claims underlying the sealed warrant.
