Recently, three Chinese visiting scholars at the University of Michigan (UM) in the United States have been charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for “conspiring to smuggle biological materials into the United States and making false statements to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials.” This is the latest accusation in a series of cases stemming from international research activities at the University of Michigan.
According to the DOJ’s announcement on November 5th, the three accused individuals are 28-year-old Xu Bai, 27-year-old Fengfan Zhang, and 30-year-old Zhiyong Zhang. Xu Bai and Fengfan Zhang are charged with conspiring to smuggle biological materials into the U.S., while Zhiyong Zhang is accused of making false statements to federal agents.
All three individuals were research scholars holding J-1 visas working in the Xianzhong “Shawn” Xu Lab at the University of Michigan.
The criminal complaint details that between 2024 and 2025, Xu Bai and Fengfan Zhang received multiple shipments of biological materials related to nematodes that were sent from China by Chengxuan Han, a Chinese citizen pursuing a Ph.D. at Wuhan University of Science and Technology’s School of Life Science and Technology. Han arrived in the U.S. in June 2025 and started working in a laboratory at the University of Michigan.
Han did not contest the three smuggling charges and one false statement charge against him, and he was sentenced and deported.
Following Han’s arrest and deportation, the University of Michigan initiated an internal investigation into the Xu Lab. The three defendants refused to participate in compulsory meetings or cooperate with the investigation, leading to their termination. This termination made them eligible for deportation by the Department of Homeland Security.
Subsequently, the three defendants purchased tickets on October 20th, 2025, for a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) to China. Federal agents attempted to locate them at various locations on October 10th but were unsuccessful. On the same day, the defendants rescheduled their flight to October 15th, 2025. They also booked a flight departing New York’s Kennedy International Airport at 2 a.m. on October 16th, 2025, bound for China.
The defendants neither canceled nor appeared for the October 15th flight from DTW. Instead, they traveled to New York and attempted to board the flight to China on October 16th. During CBP inspection, Zhang Zhiyong made false statements about Han and Xu Bai. Zhang Fengfan informed CBP officers that they had received packages from Han, including some sent after his arrest and deportation.
“This case highlights the importance of protecting the American people and addressing vulnerabilities in foreign student and exchange visitor programs,” said Acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons. “Educational institutions must strengthen their admissions processes to prevent exploitation because, as demonstrated in this case, exploitation can pose a threat to national security.”
“Using ‘research’ as a cover to attempt to smuggle biological materials is a serious criminal offense that threatens U.S. national security and agricultural safety,” stated Attorney General Pamela Bondi in a statement. “We will remain vigilant against such threats from foreign nationals who seek to advance their malicious agendas using the generosity of the United States.”
“To some extent, patterns evolve into precedents,” said U.S. Assistant Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. “Clearly, these three men were just part of a series of long-term and concerning criminal activities carried out by Chinese nationals using the cover of the University of Michigan. This poses a threat to our collective security.”
FBI Director Kash Patel commented, “These charges demonstrate that the FBI and its partners will actively investigate and hold accountable those who engage in illegal activities. Academic research cannot be an excuse for unlawful conduct. The Chinese nationals charged today are suspected of multiple instances of smuggling biological materials into the U.S. The FBI and its partners are committed to defending the homeland and preventing any illegal smuggling activities.”
The criminal complaint serves as formal charges and does not constitute evidence of guilt.
In June of this year, the FBI thwarted a Chinese scientist and his girlfriend’s attempt to bring a toxic fungus into the U.S., leading to lawsuits against both individuals by federal authorities.
Days later, a Chinese scientist who had just arrived in the U.S. was arrested for allegedly transporting biological materials to a laboratory at the University of Michigan. In the same month, the University of Michigan announced a review of its research safety-related procedures.