LITTLE ROCK—Two rice researchers from PRC select been charged inwards a conspiracy to bag rice production applied scientific discipline inwards an alleged campaign to convey this proprietary scientific discipline dorsum to China.
Cody Hiland, US Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, in addition to Diane Upchurch, Special Agent inwards Charge of the FBI’s Little Rock Field Office, announced the indictment of Liu Xuejun, 49, in addition to Lord's Day Yue, 36, both of China, for conspiracy to bag merchandise secrets in addition to conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property.
H5N1 federal grand jury returned an indictment against Liu in addition to Lord's Day on Fri for their interest inwards the theft of rice seeds designed for purpose inwards the medical field. The rice seeds were developed yesteryear a fellowship called Ventria Bioscience, which used applied scientific discipline to practise rice seeds that contained certainly proteins. These proteins could in addition to thus live on removed from the rice in addition to used inwards medicines in addition to pharmaceutical products. Ventria, which is headquartered inwards Colorado in addition to has a rice production facility inwards Kansas, has invested to a greater extent than or less $75 i chiliad k inwards developing the intellectual belongings behind these rice seeds.
"These rice seeds may live on small, only the query in addition to investment that went into the scientific discipline that made them possible is of neat value," Hiland said. "We rest vigilant inwards our efforts at protecting both intellectual in addition to existent belongings from theft yesteryear other nations, in addition to it is our intention to acquaint our illustration to an Arkansas jury based on the crimes alleged inwards the indictment."
Liu in addition to Lord's Day visited the US inwards 2013. At that time, they both worked at the Crops Research Institute inwards Tianjin, China. Liu was a professor, in addition to Lord's Day was a query associate. They came to the US to take in several rice query in addition to production facilities, in addition to their take in included a halt at the Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center inwards Stuttgart.
Their trip was organized yesteryear Weiqiang Zhang, who was a rice breeder at Ventria inwards Kansas, in addition to Wengui Yan, who worked at the Dale Bumpers Rice Research Center inwards Stuttgart. When Liu in addition to Lord's Day ended their trip, they flew to Honolulu, Hawaii, on their agency dorsum to China. At the Honolulu airport, U.S. Customs in addition to Border Protection institute stolen rice seeds inwards Liu in addition to Sun’s luggage, including seeds from the Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center also equally seeds from the Ventria rice production facility inwards Kansas.
"Today’s indictment of Liu in addition to Lord's Day should non become unnoticed yesteryear those who seek to bag our merchandise secrets in addition to technology," FBI SAC Upchurch said. "This type of offense is consistent alongside China’s social in addition to economical five-year computer program to modernize their seed industry. We appreciate the efforts of the US Attorney’s Office in addition to together nosotros volition rest steadfast inwards protecting the United States’ intellectual property."
The 2 rice researchers who helped organize Liu in addition to Sun’s trip to the US were convicted of their interest inwards the system inwards a connected illustration inwards the District of Kansas (see link to press loose below). Zhang, 47, was convicted at case in addition to sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. Yan, 63, who worked inwards Stuttgart, pleaded guilty in addition to was sentenced to i twelvemonth inwards prison.
H5N1 violation of conspiracy to commit theft of merchandise secrets, nether Title 18, US Code, Section 1832, carries a maximum penalization of non to a greater extent than than 10 years’ imprisonment, non to a greater extent than than a $250,000 fine, in addition to non to a greater extent than than 3 years of supervised release. H5N1 violation of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property, nether Title 18, US Code, Section 371, carries a maximum penalization of non to a greater extent than than 5 years’ imprisonment, non to a greater extent than than a $250,000 fine, in addition to non to a greater extent than than 3 years of supervised release.
The illustration was investigated yesteryear the FBI, in addition to is existence prosecuted yesteryear Assistant US Attorney Allison W. Bragg. An indictment contains exclusively allegations. H5N1 accused is presumed innocent unless in addition to until proven guilty.
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