- Three Chinese nationals, Xu Bai, Fengfan Zhang and Zhiyong Zhang, were charged with conspiring to smuggle illicit biological materials into the U.S. while working at a University of Michigan laboratory.
- The scheme involved receiving packages from a fourth individual, Chengxuan Han, which contained biological materials related to genetically modified roundworms that were deliberately mislabeled to evade customs.
- The three researchers were fired after refusing to cooperate with a university investigation. They were then intercepted by federal agents at a New York airport while attempting to leave the country.
- Federal authorities describe this as part of an alarming trend of Chinese nationals exploiting academic research to commit crimes that threaten U.S. national and agricultural security.
- The case highlights how the openness of the U.S. scientific community is vulnerable to exploitation, demanding increased vigilance and security at federally funded research institutions.
The Department of Justice has charged three Chinese nationals with conspiring to smuggle illicit biological materials into the United States while working at a prestigious University of Michigan laboratory.
The case, emerging from a widening federal crackdown, exposes a troubling pattern of deception and raises urgent questions about the exploitation of American scientific openness for potentially nefarious purposes.
The three individuals facing federal charges are Xu Bai, 28; Fengfan Zhang, 27 and Zhiyong Zhang, 30. All were in the United States on J-1 visas for academic exchange and were conducting research at the university's Xianzhong Xu laboratory, known as the Shawn Xu lab. The Justice Department alleges they were part of a conspiracy with a fourth individual, Chengxuan Han, a Chinese Ph.D. student who was previously convicted and removed from the country. The scheme, spanning from 2024 into 2025, involved Bai and Fengfan Zhang receiving shipments from Han containing concealed biological research materials.
The smuggled materials were related to genetically modified roundworms, which are often used in genetic and biological research. To evade U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the packages were deliberately mislabeled as harmless items. This method of concealment is a classic smuggling technique and the deliberate misdeclaration demonstrates an intent to deceive authorities, transforming a simple importation into a federal crime.
The scheme began to unravel in June 2025 when the alleged supplier from China, Han, was arrested. Han pleaded no contest to three counts of smuggling and one count of making false statements. Following her sentencing, she was removed from the United States. In the wake of her arrest, the University of Michigan launched an internal investigation into the Shawn Xu laboratory. All three of the now-charged researchers refused to participate in the university’s internal probe or attend a mandatory meeting. As a result, they were terminated from their positions at the lab.
Flight risk and federal interception
Their termination made their J-1 visa status untenable, requiring them to leave the country. The trio then attempted to depart, but their actions raised red flags. They initially booked a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Airport but failed to appear for it without canceling. Instead, they traveled to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to board a different flight to China. This unusual travel behavior prompted federal agents to intercept them before their departure.
During questioning, Zhiyong Zhang allegedly made false statements concerning his knowledge of Han. Meanwhile, Bai and Fengfan Zhang admitted to investigators that they had received packages from Han, including some sent after her arrest and removal from the United States.
A pattern of malign activity
Federal authorities describe this as part of a persistent and alarming trend. Just months earlier, another Chinese national couple was charged in a separate case for allegedly attempting to smuggle a dangerous, crop-destroying fungus into the U.S., with intentions to use the University of Michigan lab resources. U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon for the Eastern District of Michigan stated that these events represent a long and alarming pattern of criminal activities committed by Chinese nationals under the cover of the university. He emphasized that such actions constitute a direct threat to national and agricultural security.
Top-level officials have been unequivocal in their condemnation. Attorney General Pam Bondi framed the alleged actions as a severe crime that exploits the guise of research to threaten America's core security interests. The concern is that biological materials, even those used in basic research, could be leveraged for agricultural terrorism, to undermine American economic competitiveness, or to develop bioweapons. FBI Director Kash Patel reinforced this stance, asserting that the cloak of academic research does not provide immunity from U.S. law.
A broader historical context
This case sits within a decade-long escalation of concerns about economic and intellectual property espionage. U.S. counterintelligence officials have long warned of systematic efforts to transfer proprietary technology and research from Western nations to China.
"Intellectual property espionage is the unauthorized and illegal acquisition of confidential information, trade secrets and proprietary knowledge from individuals, organizations or governments," said BrightU.AI's Enoch. "This form of espionage is a significant threat to national security, economic competitiveness and the integrity of scientific and technological advancements."
The smuggling of physical and biological samples represents a tangible and dangerous evolution of these efforts. The fact that this conspiracy involved a laboratory studying genetic modifications is particularly sensitive, as such research can have dual-use applications, meaning it can be used for peaceful scientific advancement but also potentially co-opted for harmful purposes.
The case of Bai, Fengfan Zhang and Zhiyong Zhang is more than a simple story of immigration fraud or customs violation. It is a cautionary tale about the vulnerabilities inherent in a globalized scientific community. It underscores the critical need for universities receiving federal research funding to heighten their internal security and oversight protocols.
As America continues to be a beacon for international scientific talent, this incident serves as a sobering reminder that this generosity can be exploited, demanding constant vigilance to protect the nation's security and its scientific integrity.
Watch a report on Chinese nationals charged after smuggling "dangerous pathogen" into the United States.
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