US arrests ‘Thousand Talents’ scholar with access to NASA secrets

Zhengdong Cheng, who had access to International Space Station research, is said to have hidden his connections to China.

Professor Zhengdong Cheng was arrested this week on criminal charges of conspiracy, making false statements and wire fraud after authorities said he repeatedly lied about his connections to China.

A professor at a Texas University who had access to NASA’s space secrets has been arrested on conspiracy charges for hiding his affiliation with China’s Talents program.

Zhengdong Cheng, who had access to research conducted on the International Space Station, is said to have hidden his connections to China from his Texas A&M University and also from NASA.

“Zhengdong Cheng knowingly deceived NASA officials about his association with Chinese-owned companies and universities, willingly accepted US government funding, and defrauded his university,” said assistant director Alan Kohler Jr of the FBI’s Counter­intelligence Division.

“The FBI is committed to ­aggressively pursuing those individuals who try and undercut our US research institutions and government agencies by concealing their participation in Chinese talent recruitment programs and to hold them accountable for their actions.”

Assistant Attorney-General for National Security John Demers said: “Once again, we have witnessed the criminal consequences that can arise from undisclosed participation in the Chinese government’s talent program.

“The Department of Justice will continue seeking to illuminate the darkness around these talent programs and expose the ex­ploitation of our nation and our prized research institutions.”

The arrest comes after The Australian on Monday revealed that dozens of Australian scientists were involved with China’s Thousand Talents plan, amid growing concern here and in the US about academics secretly helping China to further its scientific and economic growth.

Professor Cheng, 53, was arrested this week on criminal charges of conspiracy, making false statements and wire fraud after authorities said he repeatedly lied about his connections to China.

He was a tenured professor conducting research under grants provided by the US government, including NASA.

The FBI said Professor Cheng hid his ties to China because he knew NASA’s rules banned anyone working for the agency to have any dealings with China or with Chinese companies.

Professor Cheng also failed to tell authorities that he was being paid under China’s Hundred Talents Program or that he had applied for its Thousand Talents plan.

As part of his work with NASA, Professor Cheng was awarded a grant of $US1m to conduct biophysics experiments aboard the Inter­national Space Station.

“China is building an economy and academic institutions with bricks stolen from others all around the world,” US Attorney Ryan Patrick said. “While 1.4 million foreign researchers and academics are in the US for the right reasons, the Chinese Talents program exploits our open and free universities.

“These conflicts must be disclosed, and we will hold those ­accountable when such conflict violates the law.”

The complaint says Professor Cheng’s access to NASA’s resources, including the ISS, helped him climb the ladder at Guangdong University of Technology, among other universities.

“Dr Cheng is accused of hiding his affiliation with the Guangdong University of Technology, along with other foreign universities, while disregarding rules under his NASA contract during his employment at TAMU,” FBI Houston special agent in charge Perrye Turner said.

NASA and Texas A&M repeatedly asked Professor Cheng if he had connections to China but he denied it, saying his visits to China were to visit his family.

“NASA’s funding restrictions are to protect taxpayer-­financed research dollars and intellectual property,” said Mark Zielinski, from the NASA Office of Inspector-General. “We will pursue anyone who tries to circumvent guidelines and conceal affiliations with Chinese institutions to obtain NASA grant money.”

Cameron Stewart is also US contributor for Sky News Australia