Indiana University researcher Youhuang Xiang was charged with conspiracy, smuggling goods into the United States and making false statements after he allegedly requested and received a package of women’s underwear that contained hidden E. coli bacteria.
Court documents showed Xiang, a Chinese citizen on a J-1 visa, worked as a postdoctoral research associate at IU’s biology department beginning in June 2023. His responsibilities included helping lead a research program in genome editing in wheat to create resistance to fungal diseases.
In April, Customs and Border Patrol stopped Xiang for an inspection and interview in the Detroit Metropolitan Airport while returning from China.
According to court documents, he was stopped due to his J-1 status and field of research in plant genetics. At the time, the federal government was investigating other instances of Chinese nationals smuggling pathogens into the country. Xiang told CPB he was not affiliated with the Chinese government or transporting research materials.
The Plant Protection Act and Federal Plant Pest Regulations prohibit people from importing any organism that can damage plants without obtaining a permit from the United States Department of Agriculture. Escherichia coli, or E. coli, requires a permit from the USDA to import into the country.
E. coli is mostly harmless and naturally lives in the body, but some strains can cause abdominal cramps, fever, vomiting and diarrhea. An infection caused by E. coli can lead to life-threatening disease. E. coli is usually transmitted to humans through contaminated foods like undercooked meat or fecal contamination of water.
Court docs said the Indianapolis FBI office was alerted Nov. 19 that an investigation into a separate pathogen smuggling case in Michigan revealed concerning shipments from China to IU researchers studying pathogen resistance in wheat.
After looking into the individuals named in the investigation, the FBI learned that in March of 2024, Xiang received a $186 package from Guangzhou Sci Tech Innovation Trading in China containing “Underwear of Man-Made Fibers, Other Womens”.
CBP stopped Xiang at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Nov. 23, 2025, after he returned from a short exchange program in London.
In an interview with CBP, he initially said the package from China was clothing, but then later admitted it contained clothing and plasmid DNA derived from E. coli bacteria from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, where he had previously worked.
He told officers the E. coli was shipped to him to use for his research at IU and had been labelled as women’s underwear and concealed to prevent CBP detection. According to court documents, Xiang said he was aware he needed a permit to import E. coli and knowingly did not get one. Xiang was arrested Nov. 25, according to court documents.
In an X statement Friday, FBI Director Kash Patel called on universities to be vigilant and ensure researchers know the legal routes to import biological materials.
“This is yet another example of a researcher from China - given the privilege to work at a U.S. university,” Patel wrote. “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.”
IU has not responded to a request for comment by the time of publication. In a statement to Fox 59, an IU spokesperson said the university has “no tolerance for conduct that violates IU policy or state and federal law and remain committed to cooperating with state and federal authorities.”
A Dec. 19 archived webpage on the Wayback Machine shows Xiang as listed on IU’s biology research associate website as a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Innes Lab, but Xiang currently does not appear on the site.
The case is currently being handled by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.
