BLOOMINGTON — A former Indiana University postdoctoral fellow must surrender to federal authorities for deportation after pleading guilty to smuggling biological materials into the U.S. disguised as women’s underwear.
Youhuang Xiang, 32, was sentenced this week in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. While Xiang was sentenced to time served, a $500 fine, and a year of probation, his plea agreement mandates that he surrender to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for removal to China.
The FBI began investigating Xiang, a J-1 Visa holder, in late 2025 following tips regarding the smuggling of plant pathogens. Investigators flagged a $186 package sent to Xiang’s residence labeled “Women’s Underwear.” The shipment originated from a company named “Guangzhou Sci Tech Innovation Trading,” which federal agents found suspicious.
Upon returning to the U.S. via Chicago O’Hare International Airport in November 2025, Xiang admitted to authorities that the package contained plasmid DNA derived from E. coli. He stated he labeled the package as clothing specifically to evade Customs and Border Protection (CBP) detection.
Xiang maintained that the materials were non-infectious and intended solely for his research into genetically modifying wheat crops to resist fungal diseases.
His colleagues at IU, including Professor Roger Innes, defended his actions as a “common and routine method” of obtaining research samples, calling the criminal charges a “troubling mischaracterization” of scientific practice. However, federal prosecutors emphasized that the concealment of biological agents violates federal law, regardless of the agent’s toxicity.
Indiana University has since scrubbed Xiang’s profile from its Department of Biology website. A university spokesperson stated that IU has “no tolerance” for conduct that violates state or federal law.
Xiang, a resident of Jiangsu Province, is expected to be deported as early as next week. If released by ICE at any point, he is required to report to a U.S. Probation Office within 72 hours.
