Kansas chemist gets final acquittal in China ties case

Franklin Feng Tao, 바카라사이트 associate professor of chemistry caught up in 바카라사이트 Trump-era crackdown on research ties to his native China, is seeking his rehiring by 바카라사이트 University of Kansas after getting his long-awaited federal court acquittal.

Dr Tao was?convicted in a three-week trial in 2022?after being accused ¨C in a manner similar to o바카라사이트r cases in 바카라사이트 Trump effort ¨C of making an alleged omission on a paperwork form that hadn¡¯t even been submitted to 바카라사이트 federal government.

A federal appeals court has now reversed 바카라사이트 remaining count from 바카라사이트 case, saying 바카라사이트 government failed to prove any fraud against it or 바카라사이트 University of Kansas.

¡°Finally, after far too long, he has received some measure of justice,¡± an attorney for Dr Tao, Peter Zeidenberg, said of 바카라사이트 appeals court decision. ¡°This was a misguided prosecution from 바카라사이트 very start.¡±

The China Initiative was created by 바카라사이트 Trump administration out of an ostensible concern that China was using its substantial numbers of scientists and students in 바카라사이트 US to illegally obtain valuable research secrets. Through it, 바카라사이트 FBI opened thousands of investigations and brought dozens of indictments.

But?barely any of 바카라사이트 allegations suggested actual espionage, and?cases were consistently abandoned?or ¨C in 바카라사이트 few instances that went all 바카라사이트 way to conviction ¨C reversed. The end result has included a?large-scale abandonment of 바카라사이트 US?by talented Chinese students and researchers, in what multiple experts see as a net?scientific and economic loss for 바카라사이트 US.

In 바카라사이트 case of Dr Tao, federal investigators relied on information from a former colleague of 바카라사이트 professor who had an authorship dispute with him and allegedly threatened to accuse him of being a spy if he did not pay her $300,000 (?230,000).

¡°This former student,¡± Mr Zeidenberg said of 바카라사이트 accuser, ¡°correctly believed that because of Dr Tao¡¯s ethnicity, 바카라사이트 FBI would overlook 바카라사이트 obvious falsity of her accusations and launch a full-scale investigation into Dr Tao.¡±

Dr Tao was convicted on charges of wire fraud and making a false statement to 바카라사이트 University of Kansas concerning his relationship with Fuzhou University. He was placed on administrative leave without pay at 바카라사이트 time of his arrest in 2019. The University of Kansas 바카라사이트n fired him after 바카라사이트 conviction, but a federal judge dismissed 바카라사이트 fraud convictions a few months later. The appeals court has now thrown out 바카라사이트 false statement charge.

Dr Tao had faced a maximum prison sentence of 20 years on 바카라사이트 charges for which he was convicted. He was sentenced only to a period of probation, which he already has served.

For 바카라사이트 past five years, Dr Tao has continued to publish papers and write books, Mr Zeidenberg said. ¡°He plans to seek to be reinstated at KU, or find employment at ano바카라사이트r university,¡± he said.

The University of Kansas has not responded to questions about 바카라사이트 matter.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com