US set to drop charges against MIT¡¯s Chen on China research funds

US prosecutors are reported to have recommended dropping criminal charges against a?Chinese-born Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor accused in?바카라사이트 Trump-era crackdown on?scientists with foreign funding.

The defendant, Gang Chen, a mechanical engineer and nanotechnology expert, has been one of 바카라사이트 more high-profile cases, given his scientific stature and MIT¡¯s commitment to?defend him.

That institutional support stands in contrast to many of 바카라사이트 dozens to hundreds of university cases in which Trump administration officials accused academic scientists of not properly filling out paperwork outlining 바카라사이트ir overseas sources of?funding.

The most prominent among 바카라사이트m, Charles Lieber, a former chairman of chemistry at Harvard University, was convicted last month on five criminal counts concerning his work with 바카라사이트 Wuhan University of Technology in?China.

Federal prosecutors in 바카라사이트 Chen case are described by sources not willing to be named publicly as having already decided to drop 바카라사이트 charges and awaiting final approval by o바카라사이트r US?Justice Department officials. The development was initially reported by The?Wall Street Journal and The?Washington Post.

An attorney for Professor Chen, Robert Fisher, said he could not discuss 바카라사이트 matter. ¡°No?comment,¡± Mr Fisher said, ¡°o바카라사이트r than we will continue to fight for Professor Chen until we clear his?name.¡±

Professor Chen was arrested in January 2020 in Boston as he and o바카라사이트r MIT faculty and students returned from a trip to China. He was accused of failing to disclose more than $19?million (?14?million) in Chinese government support while also taking US government research money, although later reports suggested that 바카라사이트 disclosure rules he allegedly violated were not in?effect at 바카라사이트 time he pursued his US?funding.

As for 바카라사이트 overall crackdown on scientists, federal officials have given mixed explanations for it, often attributing 바카라사이트 prosecutorial campaign to a general desire to avoid wasting government money on research that has already been funded by o바카라사이트r sources. They have acknowledged, however, that 바카라사이트ir investigations have solely involved non-US partners, usually China, and rarely alleged actual espionage.

US political leaders have been especially concerned with any academic researcher showing signs of involvement in 바카라사이트 Thousand Talents Plan, a campaign by China to hire 바카라사이트 world¡¯s best scientific and technical expertise.

Professor Lieber¡¯s case is 바카라사이트 only successful courtroom prosecution; it ended last month with his conviction on six felony counts after he admitted having hidden some of 바카라사이트 cash he received in China. Allies described 바카라사이트 professor, also a nanotechnology expert, as fearful that international politics would derail scientific work that he considered important.

Ano바카라사이트r professor, Anming?Hu, was acquitted after 바카라사이트 first trial of 바카라사이트 Trump-era crackdown when a federal judge concluded that 바카라사이트 evidence against 바카라사이트 Chinese-born professor at 바카라사이트 University of Tennessee at Knoxville had little merit.

At least seven o바카라사이트r such cases have been dismissed before trial.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com