A Chinese doctor, Yunhai Li, was arrested at a Texas airport for allegedly attempting to smuggle sensitive cancer research data from MD Anderson Cancer Center to China. Li, a 35-year-old employed at the institution since 2022, was detained as he tried to board a flight to China on July 9. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered evidence he was transferring confidential medical information abroad during an inspection of his belongings.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that Li was detained as he tried to board a flight to China. Authorities working in coordination with Homeland Security Investigations found evidence of him attempting to take sensitive medical information abroad during an inspection of his belongings. District Attorney Sean Teare stated that the intellectual property in question remains in U.S. hands, emphasizing the importance of protecting life-saving research.
Li, who holds a nonimmigrant research scholar exchange visa from the State Department, was staying in the U.S. on this visa for purposes of research funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense. Court documents viewed by Fox26 Houston revealed that Li uploaded sensitive data to his personal Google Drive account while working for MD Anderson. When the institution discovered this, Li deleted the files, but investigators found evidence that he had also uploaded the data to a file-hosting service based on a Chinese server.
The prosecution alleges that Li violated the terms of his visa by engaging in activities that could compromise U.S. intellectual property. Li’s case has raised concerns about the security of sensitive medical research and potential conflicts of interest, as he was reportedly receiving grant funding through the National Natural Science Foundation of China while working at MD Anderson. According to court documents, Li was also performing research for The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University before and during his employment at the U.S. institution without disclosing this conflict of interest to his U.S. employers.
Li’s defense statement, as quoted in the court documents, claims, ‘I believe I have the right to possess and retain this data.’ However, the indictment charges him with theft of trade secrets and tampering with a government record. The theft charge carries a penalty of two to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Li, who has posted $5,100 bail and surrendered his passport, is awaiting trial on these charges.
This incident has sparked broader discussions about the security of U.S. research institutions and the potential for intellectual property theft. Law enforcement officials have emphasized the importance of protecting sensitive information and ensuring that researchers comply with the terms of their visas and employment agreements. As the case proceeds, it will likely draw further attention to the intersection of international research collaboration and national security concerns.