The Epoch Times
The Epoch Times is a newspaper that was established in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2000 by Chinese-Americans affiliated with the Falun Gong religious movement. Originally published in the U.S. in the Chinese language, the Epoch Times has been a vocal opponent of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which has persecuted the Falun Gong in mainland China, and began publishing an English-language edition in 2003. The Epoch Times is now based in New York City. 1
Contents
News Coverage
The Epoch Times states that it is a nonpartisan organization with a “center” rating, has never endorsed a political candidate, and strives to live up to its motto of “truth, tradition, hope.” 1 However, the Epoch Times has been rated “lean right” and “right” by media-watchdog organizations like AllSides and Media Bias/Fact Check, respectively. 3 4 Other mainstream media outlets, like the New York Times, CNN, NBC, and the Associated Press (AP) have accused the Epoch Times of being “pro-Trump” and spreading conspiracy theories. 5
In a June 6, 2024, article, Li Hongzhi, the founding leader of the Falun Gong religious movement, wrote that its practitioners should refrain from participating in partisan politics, as the Democratic and Republican Parties are “worldly entities.” Hongzhi stated that practitioners of Falun Gong must have compassion towards all living things despite differing opinions and beliefs, especially when commenting on online media platforms, where the subject should be discussed, not the people involved. Hongzhi stated that practitioners should not make personal attacks on government figures, no matter how bad a person is perceived. 6
Funding
While the Epoch Times does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the National Christian Charitable Foundation ($203,450 in 2022), 7 DonorsTrust ($80,900 in 2022), 8 and the Sonoma County Community Foundation ($15,000 in 2022). 9
Financial Controversy
In June 2024, Bill (Weidong) Guan, the chief financial officer of the Epoch Times, was arrested for his alleged involvement in a money-laundering scheme over several years, involving more than $67 million. The federal prosecutors in the case alleged that this scheme was the catalyst for a recent and rapid rise in revenue at the Epoch Times. 10 Shortly following Guan’s arrest, John (Zhong) Tang, the founder and CEO of the Epoch Times, announced his resignation. 11
In a June 5, 2024, article, Li Hongzhi, the founding leader of the Falun Gong religious movement, appeared to address the money-laundering scheme allegations. In the article, Hongzhi wrote that Falun Gong practitioners “not doing well” have caused trouble for the media company. Hongzhi stated that though they may have thought they were justified in their actions by generating funding to fight the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of Falun Gong, practitioners must always act with integrity. 12
Board of Directors
Kirk (Xueke) Wang is a co-founder, secretary of the board, and senior vice president of subscription at the Epoch Times. 13
Dana Cheng is a co-founder, senior editor of China news, and member of the board at the Epoch Times. 14
John Zhong Tang is a co-founder and former chief executive officer of the Epoch Times. Tang resigned from the Epoch Times, New Tang Dynasty Television, and their subsidiaries on June 7, 2024. 11
Financial Statistics
Total Assets
Total Revenue
Total Expenses
| Year | Total Assets | Total Revenue | Total Expenses | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $59,744,552 | $125,770,097 | $119,063,545 | View |
| 2023 | $54,103,794 | $122,102,193 | $121,893,373 | View |
| 2022 | $36,747,516 | $127,999,557 | $127,585,898 | View |
| 2021 | $35,086,092 | $121,545,102 | $96,333,350 | View |
| 2020 | $14,237,549 | $70,590,023 | $57,702,660 | View |
Prior year filings: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011
Revenue Detail
Expenses Detail
Employee Compensation
- Number of Employees: 121
Highest Earning Employees
| Employee | Title | Total Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| John A Phillips | Writer | $106,581 |
| William Cheung | CFO | $60,000 |
| Samuel Zhou | Executive VP | $22,153 |
Grant Activity
All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:
- Total Grant Value: $2,866,274
- Number of Grants: 119
- Number of Funders: 56
Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:
All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:
- Total Grant Value: $103,060,568
- Number of Grants: 13
- Number of Recipients: 7
Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years: