By Trend News Line 2024-05-24 18:53:51.
A University of Florida (UF) research employee and several students have been implicated in a multimillion-dollar scheme investigated by the Justice Department, involving the fraudulent purchase and smuggling of dangerous biochemical samples to China over a period of seven years. According to federal court records, the materials smuggled included proteins of the cholera toxin and pertussis toxin, as well as small samples of drugs like fentanyl, morphine, and cocaine.
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One of the students involved in the scheme is Nongnong “Leticia” Zheng, who also serves as the president of UF’s Chinese Students and Scholars Association. Zheng confirmed in an interview that she was notified by a federal prosecutor last year that she was the target of a grand jury investigation and that criminal charges were being prepared against her. She has been assigned a federal public defender and faces the threat of imprisonment or deportation.
The UF research employee implicated in the scheme worked in the stockroom of a university research lab and was responsible for receiving and handling the illicit materials that were smuggled to China. The court records also identified other students as co-conspirators in the scheme, although it is not clear whether they have been charged or arrested at this time.
Zheng, who is a senior marketing major at UF, claimed that she was deceived and victimized by the organizers of the scheme, who solicited her help in finding paid interns for the Chinese student organization. She stated that she was not familiar with the substances she was directed to order and only realized the severity of the situation when contacted by the Justice Department.
The organizers of the scheme reportedly paid UF students to use their email addresses to order the substances, as well as providing the research employee with incentives such as Home Depot gift cards, trips, and loans. The plot, which ran from July 2016 to May 2023, involved the smuggling of various dangerous substances to China in violation of export laws.
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The involvement of UF students and employees in this illegal scheme has raised concerns about the potential consequences for international students and the university as a whole. The university has stated that it is cooperating with the Justice Department and will take appropriate administrative actions as the criminal case unfolds.
The scheme’s ringleader, Pen “Ben” Yu, has already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces a significant prison sentence and fine. Yu directed Zheng to place fraudulent orders for biomedical supplies using a credit card provided to her, which were then shipped to China.
The implications of this case on UF’s reputation and the safety of its research facilities have yet to be fully realized. The university has emphasized its commitment to upholding the law and ensuring the integrity of its academic programs. As investigations continue and legal proceedings unfold, the full extent of the scheme and its impact on the university community will become clearer..
1. UF employee and students implicated in illegal plot to ship drugs and toxins to China
2. UF employee and students involved in illegal scheme to send drugs and toxins to China.
