Simon Saw-Teong Ang, Lying to Federal Agents, Arkansas 2024
A former University of Arkansas professor has been handed a stiff sentence for lying to federal agents about his involvement in patents in China. Simon Saw-Teong Ang, 64, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, was sentenced to 12 months and a day in prison followed by one year of supervised release on one count of making a false statement to the FBI.
The case highlights the lengths to which individuals will go to conceal their activities. Ang filed 24 patents in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) which bear his name or Chinese birth name. However, the University of Arkansas, where Ang worked as a professor, had a policy requiring individuals to promptly furnish full and complete disclosures of inventions. This policy was established to ensure the widest possible distribution of the benefits of university research and the protection of inventions resulting from such research.
Despite this requirement, Ang did not disclose his Chinese patents to the university. When interviewed by an FBI agent, Ang lied about his involvement in the inventions. Specifically, he denied being the inventor of numerous patents in China, despite knowing he was. This deception also extended to his failure to list numerous talent awards from the PRC government on the university’s annual conflict of interest disclosure forms.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), NASA Office of Inspector General, and Air Force Office of Special Investigations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas and the National Security Division prosecuted the case.
The sentencing of Simon Saw-Teong Ang serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and honesty, particularly in cases where individuals have access to sensitive information. The university’s policy was designed to ensure that the benefits of research are shared with the public, and Ang’s actions undermined this goal.
The exact date of the sentencing was not provided in the source material. However, the case highlights the importance of accountability and the consequences of lying to federal agents.
Defendant’s Full Name: Simon Saw-Teong Ang
Criminal Charges: Making a False Statement to the FBI
City and State: Fayetteville, Arkansas
Sentence: 12 months and a day in prison followed by one year of supervised release
Key Facts
- State: Arkansas
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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