A Chinese businessman who is currently detained at a low-security prison in California has emerged as a primary suspect in a newly discovered biological laboratory in a quiet community hundreds of miles away in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Chinese national, Jia Bei Zhu, who has used multiple aliases including Jesse Zhu and David He, is awaiting trial for his alleged involvement in an illegal biological laboratory discovered in Reedley, California in 2022.
On January 31st, authorities raided a residence in Las Vegas based on a tip from a janitor and found what appeared to be an illegal biological laboratory in a locked garage. This residence is one of several properties in the Las Vegas area owned by Zhu or his associates. Some rooms in the residence are used for short-term rentals.
According to local law enforcement, the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department found over a thousand pieces of evidence, including vials and containers containing unknown liquids and substances.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated in a written statement to Epoch Times that the raid was based on “court documents, existing evidence, and financial tracking.”
Patel emphasized that the case is connected to China (CCP), stating, “We have taken decisive action from arresting individuals suspected of smuggling dangerous bio-chemical products to American university research scholars, to dismantling criminal groups with supply chains traceable back to China.”
Jia Bei Zhu, 64 years old, has been identified as the main suspect in the criminal investigation in Las Vegas, along with his business partner and lover Wang Zhaoyan and Wang’s mother Yao Xiuqin.
Zhu obtained a master’s degree in cell biology from Peking Union Medical College in Beijing in 1988 and co-founded a Canadian biotechnology company, International Newtech Development, in 1991. Court documents reveal that he primarily engaged in immunology and diagnostic product development.
Since 2008, Zhu and his multiple companies have been embroiled in legal disputes ranging from Canada to Hong Kong and now the United States.
He is currently awaiting trial in Sacramento, California in April on charges of distributing adulterated and misbranded medical devices and providing false statements to government agencies.
During his detention at the Taft Modified Community Correctional Facility in Kern County, California, court documents revealed Zhu’s communications with the outside world.
From January 1, 2025 to January 23, 2026, he made or attempted nearly 7,000 calls from prison, over 3,500 of which were in Mandarin to Wang Zhaoyan in China.
Ori Solomon, a 55-year-old property manager with dual Israeli and French citizenship, was also implicated in helping move and hide laboratory materials and equipment according to instructions from Zhu while in custody.
Solomon faces state-level felony charges for disposal and discharge of hazardous waste, as well as federal felony charges for illegally possessing firearms, including six guns found in his home.
The Las Vegas FBI seized over a thousand samples during the raid at the Sugar Springs Drive residence, transporting them to the National Bioforensic Analysis Center in Maryland for analysis.
The National Bioforensic Analysis Center is responsible for analyzing evidence related to bioterrorism and biocrimes, ensuring bio-security in the United States.
The investigation into the Las Vegas lab is still ongoing as authorities work to uncover any potential threats and criminal activities associated with the operation.
It is a concerning development that highlights the need for heightened vigilance against illicit biological activities and underscores the importance of cooperation between law enforcement and the community to address such issues effectively.