Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr., U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan | Department of Justice
Chengxuan Han, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China, pleaded no contest to three smuggling charges and making false statements to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, according to an announcement by United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Acting Special Agent in Charge Reuben Coleman of the FBI Detroit Division, Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon from CBP, and Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge at HSI Detroit field office, joined Gorgon in the announcement.
Court documents state that Han is pursuing a Ph.D. at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China. In 2024 and 2025, she sent several packages containing concealed biological material from China to individuals associated with a laboratory at the University of Michigan. On June 8, 2025, Han arrived at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on a J1 visa. During inspection by CBP officers, Han made false statements about the packages and their contents. Authorities also discovered that her electronic device had been wiped three days before her arrival in the United States.
Following her border inspection, Han was interviewed by agents from the FBI and ICE HSI. She admitted to sending packages containing biological material related to round worms and acknowledged making false statements during her inspection.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 10, 2025. Smuggling goods into the United States carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; making false statements carries up to five years.
United States Attorney Gorgon said: “This alien from Wuhan, China smuggled round worms and other biomaterials into our country on three separate occasions to circumvent our border protections. One of those times, she wrote that she was sending ‘a fun letter.’ The University of Michigan invited this Chinese national into our state to be a visiting scholar where it was going to give her more than $41,000 in a year to do her worm research at the Life Sciences Institute. Something is wrong in Ann Arbor.”
Reuben Coleman stated: “Protecting the American people from threats, whether domestic or foreign, remains at the core of the FBI’s mission. Anyone who attempts to smuggle biological materials into our country not only puts themselves at risk but also endangers public safety and our national security. The FBI will continue to work closely with our partners to safeguard our nation’s institutions and communities.”
Marty C. Raybon added: “The guidelines for importing biological materials into the U.S. for research purposes are stringent, but clear, and actions like this undermine the legitimate work of other visiting scholars. We will not tolerate the smuggling of regulated biological materials through our ports of entry, and this case is another example of our commitment—along with that of our law enforcement partners’—to protecting the homeland from any number of potential threats.”
Jared Murphey commented: “ICE HSI will not tolerate malicious foreign actors commandeering our educational institutions to further their schemes. As you can see, we are working across the spectrum of federal law enforcement to this end, and we will dedicate whatever resources necessary to secure the homeland.”
The investigation involved cooperation between multiple federal agencies responsible for border security and law enforcement.
