US Drops Charges Against 3 Chinese Scientists Accused Of Smuggling Worms After Beijing's Intervention

Last Updated:February 26, 2026, 08:48 IST

All three Chinese scientists were held in jail for more than three months while the case was pending in federal court in Detroit.

A case against three Chinese scientists, once presented by the administration of Donald Trump as a national security success, has been dropped by Washington.

The three researchers, accused of helping a colleague smuggle biological materials into the United States, have returned to China after the Justice Department dismissed the charges. The Associated Press reported that the move followed intervention by Beijing.

The materials involved were described as tiny transparent worms. When the case surfaced last year, US officials had called the arrests a victory for national security. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the government must remain vigilant when foreign nationals attempt to advance a malicious agenda.

What was the case?

Xu Bai and Fengfan Zhang were charged with conspiring to help another scientist who had shipped packages from China before arriving in 2025 for temporary lab research at the University of Michigan. A third man, Zhiyong Zhang, was charged with making false statements.

All three were held in jail for more than three months while the case was pending in federal court in Detroit. On February 5, a judge dismissed the charges at the Justice Department’s request. The three then returned to China.

According to defence lawyers cited by AP, China’s government intervened to help secure the dismissal. Defence lawyer John Minock said the move came as a surprise and that he was told there had been some intervention by the Chinese consulate in Chicago.

Another lawyer, Ray Cassar, said he had been negotiating a misdemeanour plea deal for Fengfan Zhang when prosecutors dropped the case. He said they were informed that China was negotiating with the US over the three students.

Defence attorney Mark Satawa said the involvement of the Chinese Consulate influenced the outcome. He noted that Zhiyong Zhang, who speaks Mandarin, did not have a translator when questioned by investigators.

The US Attorney’s Office in Detroit declined to comment on China’s role. The Chinese embassy in the US has not issued a statement.

What we know about the scientists?

Bai, Fengfan Zhang and Zhiyong Zhang were research scholars temporarily working at the University of Michigan.

According to a defence lawyer, the worms had a limited lifespan and were commonly used to study chemical reactions and light sensitivity. Ray Cassar said the packages were not properly labelled because the sender, Chengxuan Han, likely wanted to avoid delays by US inspectors. He said there was no intention to do anything harmful.

In September, Han pleaded no contest to smuggling and making false statements. She was deported to China after spending three months in jail.

Another similar case

In a separate case, Yunqing Jian, another temporary researcher at a campus lab, pleaded guilty to similar charges involving a common plant fungus. She was deported after five months in custody.

Roger Innes, an Indiana University expert who reviewed evidence for Jian’s lawyers, said there was no risk to anyone in the United States.

News world US Drops Charges Against 3 Chinese Scientists Accused Of Smuggling Worms After Beijing's Intervention

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