University of Florida staff students involved illegal scheme ship drugs toxins China
University of Florida faculty students implicated smuggling drugs toxins China.
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A University of Florida research employee and students have been implicated in an illegal, multi-million dollar scheme investigated by the Justice Department to fraudulently buy thousands of biochemical samples of dangerous drugs and toxins. The materials were delivered to a campus laboratory and then illicitly shipped to China over a seven-year period, according to federal court records.
Students Tied to the Scheme
Among the students tied to the scheme was the president of UF’s Chinese Students and Scholars Association. The group openly protested a Florida law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year that limits universities from recruiting students and faculty from China — and bans employing such students from working in academic labs without special permission.
That student, Nongnong “Leticia” Zheng, confirmed in an interview that a federal prosecutor notified her last year in writing she was the target of a grand jury investigation, and the Justice Department was preparing to seek criminal charges against her. She said she has been assigned a federal public defender, Ryan Maguire of Tampa. She said government agents have threatened to imprison or deport her.
Illegal Shipments to China
The materials smuggled to China included what the government described as purified, non-contagious proteins of the cholera toxin and pertussis toxin, which causes whooping cough. Other materials smuggled to China in the scheme included small amounts of highly purified drugs such as fentanyl, morphine, MDMA, cocaine, ketamine, and more. These substances cannot legally be exported to China.
Students Deceived and Victimized
One of the students involved, Zheng, a senior marketing major in the business school, said she was deceived and victimized by the scheme’s organizers. Zheng, who said she lived most of her life in China, said she hopes to be allowed to finish her degree and expressed her confusion over the lack of university policies to protect her.
“I do need help, honestly,” she said, adding: “I would like to see if there’s anything that can help me not get charged and get out of this whole mess.”
Implications for the University and Policy Debate
The scheme’s organizers also paid UF students to allow the use of their UF email addresses to order the substances. The university said in a statement that it has been cooperating with the Justice Department for weeks but declined to answer directly whether anyone has been fired or kicked out of UF.
The plot was sure to supercharge the raging policy debate over countering China’s ascension as a global power and curtailing its influence. Florida has already implemented measures to restrict Chinese influence in the state.
Legal Ramifications
The man identified as the scheme’s ringleader, Pen “Ben” Yu, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine when he is sentenced. The Justice Department said orders placed through UF qualified for significant discounts, and the scheme’s organizers paid $4.9 million for $13.7 million worth of biomedical supplies.
Cooperation and Consequences
The company involved in supplying the biochemical samples self-reported the export violations and cooperated with investigators to avoid prosecution. This led to the unraveling of the scheme and the guilty pleas of those involved. The Justice Department commended the company for its cooperation in preventing further illegal activities.
As the investigation unfolds, more details are expected to emerge regarding the extent of the scheme and the individuals involved. The implications for the university and the students caught up in the scheme remain to be seen.
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– University of Florida employee
– Students implicated in illegal plot to ship drugs and toxins to China.
