Kansas researcher says he ‘lost almost everything’ to Trump-era China probe

Feng “Franklin” Tao, a 52-year-old Chinese-born scientist, spoke publicly for the first time after being cleared of charges related to hiding involvement with a Chinese university.

Tao was arrested in 2019 as part of the U.S. Justice Department’s “China Initiative,” aimed at combating suspected Chinese espionage. His conviction was overturned by an appeal court on July 11, after he had been fired from his position at the University of Kansas and faced significant legal fees totaling $2.3 million.

Tao’s statement: “It has been 1,786 days. Each of those days was lived with fear and desperation,” said Tao on Tuesday at a U.S. House of Representatives building, adding that he has “lost almost everything,” including his academic career. His case, initially involving espionage allegations, shifted to charges of wire fraud and false statements due to his failure to disclose a second full-time appointment at Fuzhou University. However, the appeal court found no evidence of espionage or material impact on federal funding decisions.
Ongoing initiative: The China Initiative, criticized for stifling research and bias against Asians, was ended by the Biden administration in 2022. However, efforts to revive similar initiatives continue, leading to a chilling effect on ethnic Chinese scientists. Tao’s lawyer, Peter Zeidenberg, stated that he represents many like Tao who have faced multiple felony charges due to civil paperwork errors in their grant applications. A study shows a significant increase in Chinese scientists relocating or switching affiliations due to scrutiny and bias concerns. Lawmakers and advocacy groups are actively working to prevent the return of such initiatives, while a GoFundMe account has been set up to help cover Tao’s legal expenses.

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