Naturalized US Couple Convicted of Stealing Pediatric Research Secrets

Pair Ordered Stripped of Citizenship for Theft of Exosome Technology to Benefit China

Apr. 11, 2026 at 12:35am

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An extreme close-up of a petri dish filled with a viscous, amber-colored liquid, creating a stark, gritty, investigative aesthetic through the use of harsh, direct flash lighting against a pitch-black background.A harsh, unforgiving spotlight on the stolen exosome research that fueled an international corporate espionage scheme.Columbus Today

A federal judge in California has ordered the revocation of naturalized U.S. citizenship for Li Chen and Yu Zhou, a married couple convicted of stealing medical trade secrets from a pediatric research institution in Ohio to benefit China. The couple previously worked as research scientists at Nationwide Children's Hospital and were arrested in 2019 for conspiring to monetize the stolen exosome isolation technology through a Chinese biotech company they established.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing threat of economic espionage and the unlawful export of sensitive American research and technology to foreign adversaries like China. The denaturalization order serves as a strong deterrent against abusing the U.S. immigration system to carry out such crimes against the American people.

The details

Chen and Zhou conspired to steal a proprietary method for isolating exosomes, biomolecule-carrying vesicles with potential medical applications. The pair received nearly $1.5 million in funding from China's government, including assistance from the Thousand Talents program, to establish a Chinese biotech company that would sell exosome isolation kits using the stolen trade secrets.

  • Chen arrived in the U.S. on an H-1B visa in 2007, while Zhou arrived in 2008.
  • The couple was arrested in 2019 for the theft of the exosome research.
  • In 2020, they pleaded guilty and were sentenced to prison terms.
  • The denaturalization order was issued on March 30, 2026, while the couple was serving supervised release.

The players

Li Chen

A naturalized U.S. citizen who worked as a research scientist at Nationwide Children's Hospital and was convicted of conspiring to steal trade secrets to benefit a Chinese biotech company.

Yu Zhou

The wife of Li Chen and a naturalized U.S. citizen who also worked as a research scientist at Nationwide Children's Hospital and was convicted alongside her husband.

Nationwide Children's Hospital

The pediatric research institution in Columbus, Ohio where Chen and Zhou were employed and from which they stole proprietary exosome isolation technology.

U.S. District Judge James E. Simmons Jr.

The federal judge who ordered the revocation of Chen and Zhou's naturalized U.S. citizenship.

Attorney General Pam Bondi

The U.S. Attorney General who emphasized that the denaturalization order serves as a deterrent against abusing the immigration system to commit crimes against the American people.

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What they’re saying

“Gaining citizenship after committing serious crimes against the American people is an unacceptable abuse of our immigration system. These latest denaturalizations illustrate this Department of Justice's focus on ensuring that citizenship remains a privilege to obtain, not a right to abuse.”

— Attorney General Pam Bondi

What’s next

Following the loss of their naturalized citizenship, Chen and Zhou face likely deportation to China.

The takeaway

This case underscores the need for robust safeguards and vigilance against the theft of sensitive American research and technology by foreign adversaries seeking to exploit the U.S. immigration system for economic espionage and unlawful gain.