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The hits, they really do keep on coming. And by hits, I mean Chinese researchers smuggling in dangerous biological pathogens into the interior of the United States within the last three months. We already discussed a Chinese woman from Wuhan, of all places, who was smuggling in round worms through the mail, while at the same time studying at a lab in Michigan. There was another couple. It was a boyfriend, girlfriend, both Chinese nationals also working at that Michigan lab, who were smuggling a type of dangerous fungus. It was a type of deadly fungus that can target crops. And now, just a few days ago, the FBI arrested a new Chinese national, this one studying for his PhD over at Indiana University, and he was allegedly smuggling in plasma DNA derived from E. Coli bacteria from China hidden inside of women's underwear. Let's go through the details of this particular new case together right after you smash those like and subscribe buttons so this information can reach ever more people via the YouTube algorithm. Thank you very much for that. Now, to start with, the man in question is this guy right here. His name is Yao Huang Shang. He is a Chinese national who graduated from the Nanjing Agriculture University back in May of 2015 with a degree in crop breeding. After graduating, Mr. Xiang then began pursuing his PhD, firstly at the Shanghai based Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences. But then In April of 2023, Mr. Xiang applied for and received a J1 visa to be able to come to the US and do his research over at Indiana University, specifically at their Department of Biology, located in the city of Bloomington. Now, up on your screen right here, is a screenshot of Mr. Xiang's profile on the Indiana University's website and that page, it lists his research focus as twofold. Finding out the specifics of how pathogens interact with their hosts, as well as engineering crops that are resistant to those pathogens. Now, the university apparently was able to also determine that his preferred pronouns were he, him, his. However, apparently again, what they were not able to determine was whether or not Mr. Xiang was. Was smuggling in dangerous pathogens. Let me give you a breakdown based on federal court documents, of how this whole case played out on a timeline. Starting on June 12th of 2023, Mr. Xiang began to do his research over at Indiana University. Then the following year, on March 8th of 2024, that university renewed his J1 visa for an extended period of time so that he could continue doing that same research. Now, according to the core docs, and at the time, quote, Shang was reportedly leading a research program on genome editing in wheat plants to confer resistance to fungal diseases. Okay, so so far, everything really Seems well and good. He's doing good research for the benefit of humanity. However, In April of 2025, while going through Detroit Airport, Mr. Shang was stopped and he was interviewed by customs and border patrol agents. And this is how it played out. Quote, at the time, federal officials were actively investigating instances of U. S. Based researchers from China smuggling plant pathogens. Xiang was flagged due to his study of plant genetics. During the interview with Customs on April 23, Shang denied being affiliated with the Chinese government and stated he was not transporting any research materials. And so basically, to sum it up, he was going through the Detroit airport and he was stopped by customs agents because he happened to be a researcher in the US From China. So studying plant genetics just like the other Chinese researchers arrested over in Michigan. Now, initially, nothing really came of it. He was questioned at the airport and then he was let go. However, after that interview with border patrol, the FBI began looking into Mr. Xiang as well as his research more broadly. And here's how that played out. And here's what they found. Quote, during their investigation, it was revealed that Xiang was previously affiliated with the People's Republic of China's key laboratories in China. Core documents state that key laboratories is overseen by the Chinese government and has a history of concerning actions. In mid November of 2025, the FBI Indianapolis Division received a tip out of eastern Michigan regarding Chinese nationals smuggling biological pathogens into the United States. Specifically, the tip alleged that shipments from China were being sent to Indiana University researchers, including Shanghai. Very, very funny how it all actually seems to be connected. The feds, they were investigating these cases out of Michigan when they discovered that Mr. Xiang over in Indiana was also receiving biological shipments from China. And unlike the cases over in Michigan where the fungus and the roundworms, they were coming in various forms, like little ziploc baggies or sometimes they were tucked inside the pages of textbooks. Mr. Shang appeared to have gotten creative with how his shipments were coming in. Although maybe it's exactly that creativity that wound up tipping off the investigators that something was amiss. Quote, shipping documents obtained by the FBI reportedly showed that Shang had recently gotten a package sent from China to his Bloomington residence. The package was reportedly valued at $186 and contained women's underwear of man made fibers. Investigators found it odd that Xiang was purchasing and shipping women's underwear from China. Court documents further noted how it was strange that the company shipping the underwear was called Guangzhou SciTech Innovation Trading. That's indeed quite odd to say the least. Now, at the time that the feds actually discovered These shipments of women's Underwear coming to Mr. Xiang's Bloomington residence, Mr. Xiang was actually outside of the U.S. he happened to be traveling internationally. However, it appears that Mr. Xiang was unaware that the feds were tipped off. That's because on November 23rd of 2025, just a few weeks ago, Mr. Xiang flew from London to Chicago, where, as you guessed it, he was promptly stopped at the Chicago o' Hare International Airport by customs agents and he was questioned again. Quote. After arriving at o' Hare from London's Heathrow Airport, Hsiang was brought in for an interview. Shang reportedly agreed to speak and said he would give statements without an English interpreter. During the interview, Shang allegedly admitted to receiving a package from Guangzhou SciTech Innovation Trading in March. When pressed on whether the package contained underwear, Shang reportedly said there was clothing inside, but also plasmid DNA sent to him from his former university, the Shanghai based Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences. Xiang allegedly went on to say that the plasmid DNA was derived from E. Coli and that it was shipped to him for his research at Indiana University. When asked why the package was labeled as being women's underwear, Xiang reportedly said it was to avoid being detected by Customs and Border Protection. And so, I mean, good on him for telling the truth. But perhaps, being a Chinese national, he was unaware of the Fifth Amendment's right to not have to incriminate yourself in that situation. He basically just spilled the beans, saying that he was importing dangerous biological material into the United States from China under the radar in order to avoid Customs. And so, two days later, on November 25, Mr. Xiang was federally indicted and he was officially charged with multiple felonies, including conspiracy smuggling goods into the United States, as well as making false statements to federal officials. He is, of course, I will mention, like everyone else, presumed innocent until proven guilty. Now, after his arrest was made public, you had FBI Director Kash Patel come out with the following statement. Quote, this is yet another example of a researcher from China given the privilege to work at a US 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. The FBI and our Customs and Border Protection partners are committed to enforcing US 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 to U.S. crops and and cause significant financial loss to the U.S. economy. The FBI will not tolerate any attempt to exploit our nation's institutions for illegal activity, as we have seen in this case and the three Chinese nationals charged in Michigan in November for allegedly smuggling biological materials into the US on several occasions. Now, it's perhaps worth mentioning that what he said is true, that those Chinese nationals out of Michigan were caught and charged. However, it is questionable whether the punishment they received is sufficient to be a deterrent to, to stop others from doing the same thing in the future. And the reason that I say it that way is because the Chinese researcher out of Michigan, the one I mentioned at the top of the episode, who was caught smuggling the deadly fungus into the U.S. well, she's now getting deported back to China. Quote, a Chinese scientist charged in Michigan with smuggling biological materials pleaded guilty on Wednesday, but was given no additional time in jail beyond the five months she already spent in custody. Yun Cheng Qian, who was a temporary researcher at a University of Michigan lab, was, will be released and quickly deported. And so that's that. Regardless, though, getting back to the latest case involving Mr. Shang out of Indiana, he is currently detained and facing those federal charges. Now, Indiana University, they also released kind of a general statement, just saying the following. Quote, to ensure the integrity of Indiana University's research mission, we expect all faculty and staff to follow both Indiana University policy and state and federal law. We have no tolerance for conduct that violates our policy or state and federal law and, and remain committed to cooperating with state and federal authorities. Indiana University, they also appear to have basically scrubbed their website of Mr. Shang's profile. But of course, the Internet is forever, and so you can still find it using the Internet archives, which is what we did. And so there you have it. If you want to read either the core documents released by federal authorities or other related research, all that will be linked down in the description box below, right below those like and subscribe buttons, which I'm sure you have already smashed. But if you haven't, this is another opportunity to, so that this important information can reach ever more people via the YouTube algorithm. And also, I will ask you guys again, I asked you the last several times that we covered this topic, but I'll ask again just to see if your mind has changed on the matter. Do you believe that these are just isolated cases of overzealous researchers who are willing to basically bend the rules to get their PhDs, or do you think that this is part of a broader scheme by the Chinese Communist Party to send in these researchers basically under the guise of scholastic exchange and basically to act as sleeper agents? Because in a practical sense, the courts, they have to work exclusively with the concrete evidence specific to each individual case. Which is exactly why that Chinese woman out of Michigan who is smuggling that fungus into the U.S. she's basically just getting released and deported back to China. There was not enough evidence in that particular case of malicious intent. The most that the federal prosecutors were able to prove was basically that she was skirting federal customs rules. And it might be the same with this case out of Indiana. The guy, Mr. Shang, he might also just wind up getting deported if the feds can't prove that he had malicious intent with this E. Coli derived DNA plasmids that he was importing as women's underwear. That's the limitation of the court. However, what do you actually think about the case? Are these just isolated incidents of overzealous researchers or is this part of a broader plan by the ccp? And also, given the fact that all or almost all Chinese researchers who go abroad to study have to sign loyalty pledges to the Chinese Communist Party, do you think that it's high time that we, as a country, as the United States of America, reconsider whether they should even be here? Because if you think about it, during the Cold War, the Cold War, the US Would never allow Soviet scientists into our schools to do research. I mean the that would literally never happen. People back then were a lot more clear eyed about the dangers of communism. However, nowadays Americans have sort of, at a policy level, forgotten that China is a communist ruled dictatorship which is literally willing to do anything to take down America. And so importing some pathogens is the least of what they'll do. And so is letting scientists in from a country to the US to do research a good idea? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. I'll be reading your comments later tonight after the episode publishes, but also into the week and over the weekend. I'd love to know what you think. And then until next time, I'm your host Roman from the Epoch Times. Stay informed and most importantly, stay free.