A Chinese researcher at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center was apprehended at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston last month and is now being charged with stealing research and attempting to smuggle it back to China.
The individual, Yunhai Li, was brought into the U.S. under a VISA from the Biden administration in 2022.
In addition to allegedly stealing proprietary cancer-related research, Li was also charged for tampering with a government record.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office said the theft of trade secrets carries a penalty of two to ten years in prison with fines of up to $10,000 while tampering with a government record is punishable with up to a year in jail and a $4,000 fine.
Harris County District Attorney Sean Terre said, “Houston is proudly home to some of the most groundbreaking medical institutions in the world – publicly funded centers that are saving lives each day thanks to their innovative research. We have zero tolerance for any attempts that hurt our nation and our community’s ability to pioneer critical medical breakthroughs.”