Song Guo Zheng, Grant Fraud, Ohio 2020
Federal authorities have charged a rheumatology professor with using $4.1 million in U.S. grant funds to develop China's expertise in rheumatology and immunology.
Song Guo Zheng, 57, was arrested in Anchorage, Alaska, on May 22, 2020, after he arrived on a charter flight from China.
Zheng, who was employed at The Ohio State University, is charged with one count of fraud or bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, punishable by up to ten years in prison, and one count of making false statements, punishable by up to five years in prison.
Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Preston Deavers ordered Zheng held without bond, citing a flight risk.
The investigation is ongoing, and the case will be presented to a federal grand jury for possible indictment.
Zheng was carrying several items, including three large bags, a small suitcase, and a briefcase containing two laptops, cellular telephones, and other items, when he was arrested.
The U.S. government alleges that Zheng was engaged in a sophisticated scheme to use NIH grant funds to benefit China's research goals.
The case highlights the U.S. government's commitment to protecting taxpayer-funded research and preventing the unauthorized transfer of intellectual property to foreign nations.
Defendant: Song Guo Zheng
Criminal Charges: Fraud or bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, making false statements
City and State: Anchorage, Alaska / Columbus, Ohio
Exact Date: May 22, 2020
Sentence: Held without bond, awaiting indictment
Dollar Amounts: $4.1 million in grant funds
Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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