Overview
- FBI Director Kash Patel named Youhuang Xiang, a J-1 visa holder, as the researcher charged with smuggling E. coli and making false statements.
- Authorities say the materials were concealed in a package originating from China as part of an alleged scheme to bypass U.S. laws.
- The investigation involved the FBI’s Indianapolis and Chicago field offices with support from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
- The FBI warned that improperly controlled biological materials can threaten crops and carry significant economic risks, and it urged universities to enforce import licensing rules.
- Reporters noted a matching name for a postdoctoral fellow on Indiana University’s Department of Biology website, which officials have not confirmed as the affiliated institution.