The USA has charged three Chinese research scholars in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to smuggle biological materials into the country- Xu Bai(28), Fengfan Zhang(27) and Zhiyong Zhang (30). Bai and F. Zhang were charged with conspiracy to smuggle biological materials into the United States, and Z. Zhang was charged with making false statements to federal agents. All three men were research scholars holding J-1 visas who were conducting research at the UM laboratory of Xianzhong Xu, commonly referred to as the Shawn Xu laboratory.
FBI Director Kash Patel said, “The Chinese nationals charged today allegedly were involved in smuggling biological materials into the U.S. on several occasions. The FBI and our partners are committed to defending the homeland and stopping any illegal smuggling into our country. “US’ Attorney General Pamela Bondi said, “Allegedly attempting to smuggle biological materials under the guise of ‘research’ is a serious crime that threatens America’s national and agricultural security.”
According to the criminal complaint, in 2024 and 2025, Bai and F. Zhang were the recipients of multiple shipments containing concealed biological materials related to round worms which had been sent from China to the United States by Chengxuan Han, a Chinese Citizen. Han was pursuing a Ph.D. from the College of Life Science and Technology in the Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in Wuhan, China and in June 2025, traveled to the USA to work in the laboratory at UM. Han recently pleaded no contest to three counts of smuggling and one count of false statements, was sentenced and then removed from the United States.
After Han’s arrest and removal from the US, UM initiated an internal investigation into the Shawn Xu laboratory. All three defendants refused to attend a mandatory meeting or participate in the investigation and so were terminated. This termination made them eligible for removal by the Department of Homeland Security.The defendants purchased airline tickets to leave USA to China from Detroit Airport on October 20, 2025. On October 10, 2025, federal agents attempted to locate the defendants at their home and elsewhere but were unsuccessful. That same day, the defendants rebooked their flights for October 15, 2025. They also booked flights to China from John F. Kennedy International Airport for 2:00 a.m. on October 16, 2025. The defendants did not cancel or show for their flight from Detroit on October 15. They instead travelled to New York and attempted to board the early morning flight from JFK airport to China on October 16. During an inspection by CBP, Z. Zhang made false statements about Han. Bai and F. Zhang told CBP officers they had received packages from Han including after her arrest or removal from the United States.
“ICE HSI remains steadfast in its mission to protect the homeland from malicious foreign actors,” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Stentz. “These cases impact both the safety of Michigan communities and our national security. “This case exemplifies the critical role of collaboration among our federal partners in defending our national security interests,” said CBP Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon. “Foreign actors continue to seek ways to exploit vulnerabilities, including within our nation’s higher education system to advance their agendas. I commend the tireless efforts of our officers and federal partners in identifying and neutralizing these threats to ensure the safety and security of our great nation.” ICE HSI, the FBI, and CBP investigated this case with significant assistance from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Detroit.