Three Chinese scholars at UMich charged with conspiring to smuggle biological materials into U.S.
Three Chinese research scholars at the University of Michigan have been charged with conspiracy to smuggle biological materials and making false statements to federal officers.
The charges represent the latest in a pattern of smuggling cases connected to the Ann Arbor institution's research laboratories.
Three Chinese nationals tied to a University of Michigan lab have been charged with conspiracy to illegally bring biological materials into the U.S. and lying to federal agents.
Xu Bai, Fengfan Zhang, and Zhiyong Zhang, were research scholars working in Michigan’s Shawn Xu laboratory when they allegedly received several hidden shipments of roundworm-related biological materials mailed from China across 2024 and 2025, the Department of Justice announced on Wednesday.
“At some point, pattern becomes practice,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. “Apparently, these three men are part of a long and alarming pattern of criminal activities committed by Chinese Nationals under the cover of the University of Michigan.”
The case is tied to materials sent by Chengxuan Han, a Ph.D. candidate from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, who came to Ann Arbor in June 2025 to conduct research. Han previously pleaded no contest to smuggling charges and has since been removed from the U.S.
After Han’s arrest, all three defendants refused to attend a required meeting or cooperate with the investigation and were fired, making them subject to potential DHS removal.
On Oct. 10, federal agents tried to find the researchers at their residence but were unable to do so.
The men covertly switched to departure flights out of John F. Kennedy International Airport early Oct. 16. During a Customs search, Zhiyong Zhang lied about Han, while Bai and Fengfan Zhang admitted they still received packages from Han even after her arrest.
“Allegedly attempting to smuggle biological materials under the guise of ‘research’ is a serious crime that threatens America’s national and agricultural security,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
This incident is the latest escalation in a growing Michigan controversy. In June, House Republicans on the Education and Science committees opened an inquiry into Michigan researchers after different Chinese nationals were charged with smuggling a dangerous biological agent.
The problem is not isolated to Michigan. A House report in September found Pentagon-funded research across U.S. universities has unintentionally boosted Beijing’s military research and development, with over half of 1,400 Defense Department-funded studies co-authored with Chinese institutions linked to China’s defense sector.
Campus Reform has contacted the University of Michigan for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
