INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — A former Indiana University researcher was sentenced to greater than 4 months in jail for smuggling E. coli DNA from China.
Youhuang Xiang, 32, of China pleaded responsible to the costs. He additionally obtained a $500 tremendous and supervised launch.
United States Attorney’s Office of Southern District of Indiana mentioned Xiang will instantly be eliminated from the United States beneath a judicial order.
Xiang held a Ph.D. from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He got here to IU Bloomington in June 2023 on a J-1 visa to conduct postdoctoral analysis within the biology division.
The FBI Indianapolis Division started investigating suspicious shipments from China to IU associates in November 2025, in keeping with court docket paperwork.
Agents decided Xiang obtained a suspicious bundle at his Bloomington house in March 2024. The bundle got here from Guangzhou Sci-Tech Innovation Trading.
The delivery manifest declared the contents as “Underwear of Man-Made Fibers, Other Womens.” Investigators discovered it uncommon that Xiang was ordering ladies’s underwear from a science and expertise firm.
Customs and Border Protection officers interviewed Xiang at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on November 23, 2025. He was returning from a analysis journey within the United Kingdom.
Xiang initially denied information of smuggling. He later admitted the delivery manifest was deliberately mislabeled, in keeping with court docket paperwork.
Samples of E. coli micro organism DNA have been hid within the bundle to avoid U.S. regulation, officers mentioned.
CBP instantly terminated Xiang’s J-1 visa and he was arrested by the FBI.
The FBI investigation revealed Xiang was a member of the Chinese Communist Party, court docket paperwork revealed. Officals mentioned he lied about his CCP affiliation when questioned by immigration authorities throughout his April 7 sentencing listening to.
“Xiang intentionally exploited his access to laboratory facilities at one of Indiana’s flagship research universities,” mentioned U.S. Attorney Tom Wheeler. “Such conduct poses a very serious threat to public safety and to the health of our agricultural economy.”
Wheeler mentioned customs legal guidelines exist to guard borders, the financial system and residents.
“Those who attempt to secretly bring biological materials into the United States are taking a serious risk with public safety,” mentioned FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley.
The FBI Indianapolis Division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General investigated the case.