Federal agents have charged three additional scholars from China in a growing smuggling probe tied to the University of Michigan.
The new charges expand an investigation that earlier led to several arrests involving Chinese nationals accused of importing biological materials without authorization.
According to the Detroit News, the latest indictments target visiting researchers who allegedly sent or attempted to send restricted materials into the United States.
Investigators said the shipments included microorganisms and lab cultures that were mislabeled to conceal their contents.
The packages were bound for a University of Michigan research laboratory but lacked federal permits required for biological imports.
The defendants reportedly provided false information to customs officers and violated regulations designed to prevent the spread of controlled materials.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan is leading the prosecution with assistance from federal agencies focused on biosecurity and customs enforcement.
In June, two Chinese nationals were charged with attempting to bring a fungus known to damage crops such as wheat and corn into the country for study at the Ann Arbor campus.
Another Chinese researcher was later charged with shipping biological materials to Michigan and providing false information on customs forms.
The University of Michigan said it is cooperating fully with investigators and that none of the charged individuals were acting on behalf of the Chinese government.
Federal prosecutors have not released further details about the three newly charged scholars or the materials involved.
The continuing investigation reflects broader Trump administration efforts to protect U.S. research programs and national agricultural assets from unauthorized foreign access and contamination.
The FBI’s Bioterrorism Risk Assessment Group, known as BRAG, plays a key role in safeguarding against the misuse of dangerous biological materials.
The group reviews individuals and organizations that seek access to biological select agents and toxins — substances that could pose serious threats to public health or national security if handled improperly.
Working as part of the Federal Select Agent Program, the BRAG assessments evaluate whether a person or institution could represent a security risk if allowed to work with or store sensitive biological materials.
The findings help determine whether access is granted, forming an important layer of protection against bioterrorism and unauthorized use of hazardous agents.
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