Chinese National Linked to Biolabs Sentenced
Jia Bei Zhu, a Chinese national associated with a secret biolab in California revealed in 2022 and another found in Las Vegas earlier this year, is facing serious legal consequences in the United States.
A jury found Zhu guilty on several charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and making false statements to the FDA. This verdict was announced by the Ministry of Justice on Wednesday.
“He ignored the FDA’s lawful authority and intentionally misled the public,” noted the prosecutor.
Zhu could face decades behind bars, marking the end of a decade-long evasion of justice.
Back in 2016, the Supreme Court of British Columbia uncovered that Zhu and his companies had conspired to steal sensitive technology from a company in Colorado, with plans to sell it to China.
After receiving his sentence in Canada, he fled in 2015, entering the U.S. illegally and continuing to defraud Americans.
During his recent trial, jurors learned that Zhu launched a California-based company, Universal Meditech, with his girlfriend. They allegedly imported defective coronavirus tests from China and sold them under false pretenses, falsely claiming FDA approval and the involvement of accredited laboratories.
Zhu reportedly profited roughly $4 million from selling over a million faulty tests. His girlfriend has also been implicated but evaded arrest by fleeing to China.
The situation escalated when a victim filed a civil lawsuit in 2022, leading to an inspection of UMI’s Fresno facility. The findings revealed that UMI couldn’t manufacture adequate coronavirus tests, and the facility was unsanitary.
Attempting to avoid detection, Zhu moved operations to a new location and altered the company’s name. When the FDA began its investigation, he lied about his identity and claimed ignorance about the business.
The discovery of his latest facility in Reedley earlier this year concluded his long-standing troubles. Local authorities acted on a tip and uncovered a range of illegal medical devices and other suspicious materials in the warehouse.
Zhu was arrested on October 19, 2023. Authorities later searched another property controlled by him in Las Vegas, where additional lab equipment was found.
“This verdict holds the defendant accountable for exploiting a public health crisis for his own benefit,” stated Eric Grant, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of California. “His actions have put lives at risk.”
The House of Representatives Select Committee on the Communist Party of China confirmed Zhu’s affiliations with companies connected to the Chinese government.
