Chinese Researcher Charged with Stealing Trade Secrets in Houston
Cancer researcher arrested before flight to China with sensitive data
Yunhai Li, a 35-year-old Chinese national working as a cancer researcher at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, has been charged with theft of trade secrets and tampering with a government record. Li was detained on July 9 while attempting to board a flight to China, when U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations discovered evidence suggesting he was attempting to take sensitive medical information abroad. The researcher had been working at the center for three years on a non-immigrant research scholar exchange visa provided by the U.S. State Department.
According to Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, Li was involved with a project funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense. Court documents indicate that Li had saved sensitive data on his Google Drive while employed at MD Anderson, which prompted the institution to confront him. After being confronted, Li reportedly deleted the files from Google Drive but had transferred the information to another drive hosted by Baidu, a Chinese technology company.
KEY POINTS
- •Chinese researcher charged in Houston
- •Allegedly stole cancer research data
- •Funded by NIH and Defense Department
The materials allegedly taken by Li included unpublished research data and articles representing trade secrets, including material-restricted confidential research data, writings, drawings, and models related to breast cancer research. Authorities moved quickly to file charges to ensure Li would remain in the United States and be held accountable. The theft of trade secrets charge carries a potential sentence of two to ten years in prison, while the tampering with a government record charge could result in up to a year in jail.
This case represents one of several incidents in recent years involving allegations of trade secret theft. Li faces potential prison time of two to ten years for the theft charge and up to a year for the tampering charge, with combined fines that could amount to $14,000. The case highlights ongoing concerns regarding the protection of sensitive research and intellectual property in federally funded scientific projects.