A 32-year-old former Indiana University researcher will head to federal prison followed by an immediate flight back to China after a bizarre smuggling plot involving DNA samples hidden in a shipment of women’s underwear came to light.
Youhuang Xiang, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China, was sentenced on April 7, 2026, to more than four months in prison, a $500 fine, and one year of supervised release for smuggling biologic materials into the United States.
Xiang arrived at IU Bloomington in June 2023 on a J-1 visa to conduct postdoctoral research in the biology department. However, his academic tenure took a turn when the FBI’s Indianapolis Division noticed a pattern of suspicious shipments from China to university-affiliated individuals.
Investigators flagged a specific package delivered to Xiang’s residence in March 2024. While the shipping manifest claimed the box contained “Underwear of Man-Made Fibers, Other Womens,” it was sent by Guangzhou Sci-Tech Innovation Trading—a company more focused on tech than textiles.
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The truth surfaced in November 2025 at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. During an interview with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials, Xiang admitted that the lingerie label was a ruse used to bypass U.S. law and sneak DNA samples of E. coli bacteria into the country.
The investigation also revealed that Xiang was a member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), a fact he had hidden from immigration authorities. During sentencing, Chief U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney II heard how Xiang exploited his access to flagship research facilities and his visa status.
“Xiang intentionally exploited his access to laboratory facilities at one of Indiana’s flagship research universities, and the privileges of his J‑1 visa status, to illegally smuggle biological materials into the United States,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. Wheeler noted that such actions circumvent the inspections designed to prevent the introduction of invasive substances that could threaten public safety and the agricultural economy.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley echoed the gravity of the breach, stating that concealing E. coli shows a “clear disregard for the law and for the safety of others.”
Additionally, USDA Inspector General John Walk pointed out that Xiang utilized a federally funded USDA research grant while carrying out the scheme, calling the act an exploitation by a foreign adversary.
Following his prison term, Xiang faces a Judicial Order of Removal, ensuring his immediate deportation to the People’s Republic of China. The case was a joint effort between the FBI, CBP, and the USDA Office of Inspector General.
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