An IU researcher from China was charged last week with two counts of smuggling and one count of making false statements to law enforcement.
Youhuang Xiang, 32, is accused of receiving the pathogen E. coli concealed in a package listed in shipping documents as containing women's underwear.
He received the package at his Bloomington apartment in March 2024. Federal law regulates imports of organisms that can harm agriculture.
Court documents say Xiang admitted having received the package and hiding its contents. He said the pathogen was for his research at IU.
Xiang, a Chinese citizen, has a J-1 visa and worked as a postdoctoral research associate in IU's Department of Biology.
Court documents say his job was to help lead research on genome editing in wheat plants to resist fungal diseases. The diseases reduce yield and quality and contaminate the grain. Climate change is expected to exacerbate the problem worldwide.
Court documents allege Xiang has been affiliated with a lab in China with "a history of concerning actions," including theft of intellectual property.
A federal smuggling prosecution in Michigan led agents to investigate why Xiang would purchase and ship women's underwear from a Chinese company called Guangzhou Tech Innovation Trading.
Last month, agents interviewed Xiang in Chicago when he arrived on a flight from London. After initially saying the March 2024 shipment was a jacket and other clothing, he admitted that the package contained E. coli, according to court documents.
Online records checked Monday showed Xiang as being held in Chicago by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The case is in federal court in Indianapolis.
An IU spokesman said, "To ensure the integrity of Indiana University's research mission, we expect all faculty and staff to follow both IU policy and state and federal law. We have no tolerance for conduct that violates IU policy or state and federal law and remain committed to cooperating with state and federal authorities."
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