U.S. charges Chinese national with allegedly smuggling deadly bacteria into the country, FBI says

A Chinese national on a J-1 visa has been charged with allegedly smuggling the deadly bacterium Escherichia coli into the United States, authorities said Friday. FBI Director Kash Patel said Youhuang Xiang, a post-doctoral researcher at Indiana University, was charged with smuggling E. coli into the country and making false statements about it. Patel wrote on X that this is yet another example of a researcher from China — given the privilege to work at a U.S. university — who then allegedly chose to take part in a scheme to circumvent U.S. laws and receive biological materials hidden in a package originating from China.

It was not disclosed where Xiang allegedly sought to smuggle the bacteria or for what purpose, and Patel did not specify a location. He credited FBI offices in Indianapolis and Chicago for the investigation. Xiang’s attorney, James Tunick, told Daily Mail that Xiang was legally working in the United States at Indiana University. There are many strains of E. coli, and it is not known which specific strain Xiang was allegedly attempting to bring into the United States.

Patel continued: the FBI and our CBP partners are committed to enforcing U.S. laws put in place to protect against this global threat to our economy and food supply. If not properly controlled, E. coli and other biological materials could inflict devastating disease on U.S. crops and cause significant financial loss to the U.S. economy. E. coli typically comes from undercooked meat, unpasteurized dairy and raw produce, and people can be infected by consuming contaminated food or water, through contact with animals or their feces, or via contact with an infected person’s waste.

Patel noted that the FBI will not tolerate any attempt to exploit U.S. institutions for illegal activity, citing this case and three Chinese nationals charged in Michigan in November for allegedly smuggling biological materials into the United States on several occasions. The FBI and its partners are committed to defending the homeland and stopping illegal smuggling of biological materials into the country.

Foreign nationals can apply for a J-1 visa as an au pair, camp counselor, college or university student, intern, government visitor, doctor, professor, researcher, teacher or trainee. The program drew about 300,000 foreign visitors from more than 190 countries each year, according to the National Immigration Forum. A J-1 visa typically lasts from a few weeks to several years, depending on the category, with some researchers permitted to stay for longer periods and others for just days.

The status and category of Xiang’s visa were not publicly disclosed. Tunick told Daily Mail that Xiang was working with a professor from Indiana University’s Biology Department to help improve wheat crop production in the United States and that the allegation of smuggling E. coli is false and not charged by the U.S. Department of Justice. Patel urged universities and their compliance offices to ensure researchers obtain proper licenses to import or export approved biological materials and to follow those procedures without exception. He said ongoing partnerships between universities, federal agencies and industry will help secure the nation and hold all parties accountable.

Experts note that E. coli is often used in research because it is inexpensive, grows quickly and is easy to manipulate genetically, enabling a wide range of experiments. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that some strains of E. coli cause hundreds of thousands of illnesses each year, with thousands of hospitalizations and dozens of deaths nationally. Symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, fever and dehydration, and in some cases, a complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome can lead to kidney failure and death. While many infections are mild, certain strains pose significant risks to vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly.

Researchers have long described E. coli as a foundational organism in biology, noting that the bacterium has contributed significantly to fundamental concepts in genetics and microbiology. A 2022 Special Series in the Journal of Bacteriology described E. coli as “likely the most studied organism” and cited its role in advancing laboratory methods and genetic engineering. The broader scientific community generally regards the bacterium as a critical model system, but the same characteristics that make it valuable for research also create potential security concerns when materials are transferred across borders.

As the investigation continues, federal officials said the case underscores the need for robust safeguards around the import and transfer of biological materials and highlights the ongoing scrutiny of foreign nationals working in U.S. research programs. The FBI and its partners have emphasized that protecting the nation’s agriculture and economy requires vigilance in university laboratories, research facilities and related institutions, particularly when regulated materials are involved. The U.S. government has repeatedly urged research institutions to strengthen compliance programs, verify licenses where required and promptly report any suspicious activity related to prohibited or restricted materials.