Three Chinese scholars from Univ of Michigan lab charged in smuggling biological materials into US

Three Chinese scholars from a University of Michigan lab have been charged in connection with smuggling biological materials into the U.S.

Those charged on Wednesday are Xu Bai, 28; Fengfan Zhang, 27; and Zhiyong Zhang, 30, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. Bai and F. Zhang were charged with conspiracy to smuggle biological materials into the U.S., and Z. Zhang was charged with making false statements to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.

The men had J-1 visas and were conducting research at the University of Michigan lab of Xianzhong Xu.

Both this year and last year, Bai and F. Zhang received multiple shipments containing concealed biological materials related to round worms, which had been sent from China to the U.S. by Chengxuan Han, a Chinese citizen, according to the criminal complaint.

Han was in a Ph.D. program from the College of Life Science and Technology in the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, and in June, traveled to the U.S. to work in the Xianzhong Xu lab, commonly referred to as the Shawn Xu laboratory.

Recently, Han pleaded no contest to three counts of smuggling and one count of false statements, was sentenced, and removed from the U.S.

The university started an internal investigation into the lab after Han’s arrest and removal from the U.S. The three defendants refused to attend a mandatory meeting or participate in the investigation, resulting in their firing, which made them eligible for removal by the Department of Homeland Security.

They all booked a flight for Oct. 16 from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City to China. During a CBP inspection after they attempted to board the flight, Z. Zhang allegedly made false statements about Han, and Bai and F. Zhang allegedly told CBP officers that they had received packages from Han, including after her arrest or removal from the U.S.

As a result, Bai, F. Zhang, and Z. Zhang were all arrested and charged.

“Allegedly attempting to smuggle biological materials under the guise of ‘research’ is a serious crime that threatens America’s national and agricultural security,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. “We will remain vigilant to threats like these from foreign nationals who would take advantage of America’s generosity to advance a malicious agenda.”

“At some point, pattern becomes practice. And, apparently, these three men are part of a long and alarming pattern of criminal activities committed by Chinese Nationals under the cover of the University of Michigan. This is a threat to our collective security. We are thankful for the vigilance of our elite federal partners – ICE HSI, FBI, and CBP – as a counterweight against this threat,” U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr., said in a statement.