❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Chinese cancer researcher was charged with stealing trade secrets for China, according to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Yunhai Li, a 35-year-old research scholar at MD Anderson Cancer Center, and U.S. law enforcement agencies.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The charges were filed on Monday in Harris County, Texas. The alleged theft occurred earlier this year at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We have zero tolerance for any attempts that hurt our nation and our community’s ability to pioneer critical medical breakthroughs.” — Sean Teare, Harris County District Attorney.
🎯IMPACT: The case highlights concerns about intellectual property theft and national security risks within U.S. research institutions.
Yunhai Li, a 35-year-old Chinese national and cancer researcher, has been charged with theft of trade secrets and tampering with government records, according to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Li, who had been a researcher at MD Anderson Cancer Center since 2022, is accused of attempting to steal cancer-related research and transfer it to China.
Li was in the U.S. on a Department of State research exchange scholar visa, with his work funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Defense (DOD). He reportedly uploaded nearly completed research on a vaccine to prevent breast cancer from spreading to a Chinese server, Baidu, before abruptly quitting his position on July 1.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in coordination with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), intercepted Li at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on July 9. They found unpublished research, trade secrets, and confidential files stored on a laptop linked to the Chinese server. Prosecutors allege that Li also conducted undisclosed research for Chongqing Medical University, violating his non-disclosure agreements.
Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare stated, “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.”
Li was arrested and later released on a $5,100 bond after surrendering his passport. He allegedly told police he stole the research because he felt it was his right and that it was “going to waste.” Federal prosecutors may also pursue charges against Li.
The arrest comes as President Donald J. Trump has said his administration plans to double the number of Chinese students studying in the United States. It is unclear whether the Trump White House, especially Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who is championing the visa expansion, has adequately weighed the national security implications of such a move.
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